


When Did I Become A Cliche?

by A_BadSpellr



Series: Fluffyverse [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Moira Ships It, OFBB 2016, Olicity Fic Bang 2016, Plotting, Season 2 setting, Thea Ships it, Thea is an Evil Genius, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Weddings, Will Lead to Resolved Sexual Tension, but that comes later, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-08-12 09:30:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 50,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7929586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_BadSpellr/pseuds/A_BadSpellr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Felicity Smoak has feelings for Oliver Queen, and not the platonic kind. He is her friend, her boss, and way out of her league. But when Oliver asks her to be his date for a family wedding, the lines start to blur. Will Felicity try to keep her normal life or will she risk it all for what she wants?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Blue Eyes and Smiles

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Everyone! This is my work for the Olicity Fic Bang! This chapter was posted previously but was deleted so I could include it in this collection. For everyone that liked this story the first time I posted it, please read it again! If you are new to the story, I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> I've worked with a lovely group of ladies, nvwhovian, my beta and internet mother, and the-silverforked-sky, my cheerleader/artist/co-beta/internet sister, to make it better than it was before. This story would not exist without them. 
> 
> This story will be updated regularly on Thursdays.

  

 

Felicity’s desk was normally very clean and organized. No extra papers cluttered the space, no extraneous binders sat on the edge of her desk, and all her pens and notepads were hidden away in a small built-in drawer below. She took pride in it, especially since every single speck of dust and fingerprint showed on the ultra-modern slab of glass with legs. She had a whole box of cleaning supplies for her desk and computers, even though she hated cleaning. It didn’t stop her from ensuring she presented the best possible image as an Executive Assistant. Even if sometimes it felt like the worst job she could have.

The view was worth it though; seeing Oliver in a suit with his slightly ruffled hair and furrowed brow while he concentrated on reading a quarterly revenue report was a joy. The evening sunlight coming through the windows behind him gave his hair a luminous look. He was focused, his jaw clenched, making his features more pronounced. He was gorgeous, almost drool worthy.

Little moments like these were hers and hers alone. They were special, because they let her see the real him.  He wasn’t CEO Oliver Queen or Playboy Ollie Queen. Right now he was just Oliver; her Oliver.

Somedays were easier than others  to have feelings for the overwhelmingly attractive billionaire CEO by day and leather-clad hooded vigilante/hero by night. But some days, when the world intruded on them, were much harder.  Like yesterday when Isabel had spent the entire day with Oliver, standing as close to him as possible so Felicity would see them. God, that woman was such a bitch. Sometimes she wished she could meet Isabel on the street at night and hit her with a car. Or a van, like the one Digg drove for their night job. That would be so satisfying. Not that she wanted Isabel to die; she just wanted her to suffer. In every way imaginable.

Today was one of the worst days. If she had known what was about to happen she would never have come into Oliver’s office when he asked. She would have stayed at her nice, clean, well-organized desk and _far far_ away from the storm that started swirling when Moira Queen appeared.

Felicity stood next to Oliver on his side of the desk discussing the drug traffickers in the Glades they were currently tracking. She felt Moira Queen enter the room before she heard the door swing open. The woman had an aura about her, she demanded the attention of everyone in a room like she was a…well like a Queen. No matter how overused the pun was, it was still true. Moira oozed class and regality, dressed simply in a well cut dark blue dress and nude heels. Her hair had grown longer since her release from Iron Heights, though she still wore it in her usual coif. Felicity had to fight to suppress a babble about prison and shampoo and long hair.

“Oliver darling,” Moira said, “how are you?”

“Mom,” Oliver said, his voice colored with surprise. Felicity immediately moved a step away from Oliver, hoping that Moira hadn’t noticed how close they had been. Then again, she herself hadn’t noticed how close they had been until the door opened. Her arm had practically been rubbing up against his shoulder and her hair was almost in his face. If she had turned her head, she would have been close enough to see the different shades of blue in his eyes and nuzzle her nose against his cheek. Not that she wanted to nuzzle his cheek. Okay, maybe she did,  and she also wanted to nuzzle his chest. Yes, his chest was just right for nuzzling.

She shook her head slightly, clearing away the wonderful images in her head. She looked up and made eye contact with Mrs. Queen and almost flinched. The woman’s eyes bored into her, blue like Oliver’s but so full of ice and fire at the same time. How could someone’s eyes try to freeze you and burn you at the same time?

“Ms. Smoak, I wish to speak to my son about a personal matter. Would you please excuse us?”

“Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of Felicity,” Oliver said, glaring at his mother. She turned her gaze to Felicity. She tried to melt into the floor to get away, but since people can’t change their state of matter at will, she was forced to stand there and get skewered by Moira’s gaze for a moment longer. The Queen matriarch arched her eyebrow slightly, a look of disdain she probably perfected long before Finishing School, and turned back to Oliver.

“As you know, your cousin Elton is getting married on the 14th. It is only appropriate that we attend to show support for the Dearden side of the family. I am here because your sister insists I confirm your RSVP-“

“Mom, I already said that I’m not going,” Oliver said, shaking his head in exasperation. He ran his fingers through his hair, and Felicity suddenly realized just how long it had gotten. She felt an incredibly powerful urge to run her own fingers through it. It would be soft, warm, and a little fluffy. It was just the perfect length to tug on as she kissed her way down his neck and pulled at his tie…

_Get a grip Felicity._

She sighed and mentally face palmed herself. Even her internal pep talks weren’t helping her. Her proximity to Oliver was shorting out her brain. Like when he was on the salmon ladder, or walking around the lair in his tight leather Arrow suit, or without a shirt on; basically anything Oliver did was distracting in some way. Like when he looks at her with concern and amusement all at the same time with those amazingly blue eyes that she could get lost in.

“Are you ok,” he asked. His voice was coming from above her. When did he stand up?

“Yes, I’m fine. Why?”

“You told yourself to get a grip,” he said, tilting his head to the side a little, which just made him look like a freakin puppy. How could he be sexy and adorable at the same time? That was so not fair.

“Yes,” she said, trying to shift back into work mode, “the wedding coincides with an International Business and Technology Conference event in Boston that you are booked to attend-“

“See,” he said, looking at Moira now, “I knew there was a reason, and since it's business related, I can’t neglect it. Sorry Mom, I won’t be able to go.”

Oliver’s words came out in a rush, and she could tell just how relieved he was to have an excuse to skip the  wedding. Whoever Elton was, or more broadly, whoever the Deardens were, he did not want to be a part of the festivities. And considering what Moira was like, Felicity completely understood his desire to avoid it. She imagined men and women with the same grace and cool sense of detachment that Moira had and shivered. No wonder he didn’t want to go.

Oliver and Moira squared off, each one putting on their best passive aggressive face. An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Felicity watched them both, moving from one face to the other. Neither one blinked.  It was like watching an invisible tennis match, one she was sure Oliver would lose.

To Felicity’s surprise, Moira backed off  first. She sighed and ducked her head for a moment to collect herself. When she looked at Oliver again, her eyes were glassy.

“Oliver. Please come to the wedding.”

Moira’s voice was soft, pleading. It was the most vulnerable Felicity had ever seen her. His mother was begging for his help, in her own way. It gave Felicity an idea of just how much Moira needed her family for this event. It was something she felt she couldn't handle alone. That was more than enough for Felicity. She turned to Oliver.

“Oliver, the wedding is in Chatham. It is two hours from Boston. The conference runs from the 9th to the 12th, but you only have to be present for the keynote on the last day. The rehearsal dinner and wedding are on the 13th and 14th. You can attend the pre wedding gala being held on the 9th, and make the drive to Boston on the morning of the 13th. All of your tuxes have been cleaned and  pressed, because we go to so many of these things that you need all of them. Especially the Armani one, that one’s the best. Not that you don’t look good in all of them, because you do look good. Like really, really good, whether you have your jacket on or not though not having the jacket on is better because suspenders are great and _why haven’t you stopped me oh my-”_

“Felicity,” he said, in that soft voice that he used with her. It was his Felicity voice. Her name sounded so nice with that voice, like it was something precious to him, like _she_ was precious to him. Though that would mean he cared about her as way more than a friend and that obviously wasn’t true. But then he would say her name with _that_ look in his eyes, the one that told her that she was the only thing he was thinking of or seeing. His eyes were alight with happiness just because looking at her, like he lo-

_Nope. Don’t do that. Don’t even go there._

“Hey,” he said, with _her look_ and _her voice,_ and God her insides were melting, “just breathe.”

She took a deep breath, focusing on his hand on her shoulder, the one he always favored. Wait, when did his hand get there? She shook her head, fighting off the butterflies she always got when he touched her, focusing instead on the warmth of his hand. It grounded her, kept her here in the now and out of her head.

“I’m good,” she said, taking a deep breath, “yup I’m good.”

He smiled at her, a real smile just for her.

“How did you know about all the events for the wedding,” he asked. There wasn’t any judgement there, just curiosity.

“The wedding planner has been sending emails to you for a while. You had them diverted to me after you got the fifth invitation, remember?”

“I remember.”

“So, I’ve essentially been running interference for the past three months. I’ve seen all the itineraries, all the changes they’ve made to them, all the caterers they’ve hired and fired, flower arrangements, the venues, even the names of the favored guests. And you’re one of them.”

“Me?”

“Oliver, you’re the CEO of one of the biggest energy and technology companies in the country. You have connections to politicians, journalists, celebrities, other CEO’s like yourself and people with money. You are the perfect redemption story. Having you there will bring even more attention the wedding.”

“And the Deardens can start to mend the fences torn down due to my involvement in the Undertaking.”

Felicity turned to look at Moira, and blinked. The woman wasn’t shooting daggers at her anymore. She was staring at her like she was seeing her for the first time, which made her even more frightening. Being reevaluated by Moira Queen meant she had been underestimated, which was insulting and gratifying at the same time. But knowing that the  smart and perceptive Moira Queen was taking a second look at her? That was scary.

“Your mom is right. It helps them regain some of their political clout, but there is more to it. This is a chance for you to help your family. If you’re there with your mother, she’ll get back some of the sway she had and if you speak out in support of her-“

“Felicity-“

“Don’t ‘Felicity’ me, you know I’m right.”

She took a single step forward, getting right into his personal space. His eyes went wide for a second but she held his gaze. He needed to understand that this wasn’t just about him.

“Oliver, she’s your mother. No matter how much she lied to you, she is still your mother. I completely understand your side, but you two are more alike than you think.” She lowered her voice. “You both keep secrets from the people closest to you in the name of protection, whether it is worth it or not.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. She was falling back into her own memories; a small apartment in Vegas, a woman in a cocktail dress wearing a bright smile as a mask to hide her pain, a man who looked at her with sad, tired eyes before walking out of her life forever. Her parents were still her parents and she still loved them. Well, one of them. “I know what it’s been like for you with and without your mother. You need her, just as much as she needs you.” She gave him a small smile. “We do what we have to for the people we love.”

Oliver closed his eyes and sighed, taking in what she said. She could almost see the wheels turning in his head. He was close, but he needed a little bit more prodding. So, she moved a little bit closer to him and placed her hand on his chest. His eyes snapped open and he just stared at her. Well, maybe stared wasn’t the right word. He was looking at her like she was the entire world at the moment. But she wasn’t going to think about that. Nope not thinking about the fact that she was touching his chest over his heart or that his heartbeat _sped up_ when she touched him or that his eyes were saying something so profound. Nope, she wasn’t thinking about any of that.

“You and Thea have already lost your father. Don’t lose your mother too.”

Using Thea was a bit cheap, but it took all the fight out of him. His shoulders slumped in defeat and he sighed one more time. His head dipped a little and it brought him close enough her to feel his breath on her face. She could smell his aftershave and a slightly lighter scent, something woodsy that reminded her of him. She saw the different shades of blue in his eyes, lighter blue like clear water and the slightly darker blues highlighting them. His eyes conveyed so much more than he could ever say with words. She felt like they had entire conversations just by looking at each other. Like right now, he was saying _I don’t like this, Thank you, We need to be careful_ and something else.

A throat being cleared beside them broke her bubble.

Moira. She was still standing there.

She heard everything. She saw everything.

Crap.

She was suddenly very aware of just how close she was to Oliver, that if he dipped his head little more their noses would touch, that her hand was still over his heart and his hand was still on her shoulder but it was slightly higher up and almost on her neck and, wow that was too much. She jumped away from him, trying to regain her composure. If he looked a little annoyed that she moved, well she would chalk that up the massive amount of adrenaline flooding her system right now.

“Mrs. Queen, I am so sorry I forgot you were there. I would not have been that close to your son otherwise. Not that I am always that close to your son, because I’m not since my desk is out there and his is in here. I mean, I wouldn’t _not_ want to be that close to him, because he is incredibly attractive and built and kind and tall and cares about his family. I’m not hitting on him! I wouldn’t do that since I’m his Executive Assistant and workplace relationships are frowned upon and that wasn’t how I got my promotion. And I’m not one of those kinds of girls! I haven’t done anything with Oliver other than shake his hand. I mean, his hands are great. They’re really big and warm make mine look really small but I feel safe when he holds my hand, which he doesn’t do unless he is shaking it and _Oliver why aren’t you stopping me…”_

Moira was staring at her with her mouth open. The Queen family matriarch was speechless. But now her eyes were curious and she looked like she was smiling slightly. Why was Moira smiling at her? Moira was scary, Moira was almost evil, and hell, she thought Moira _hated_ her. So why was she smiling at her like that?

She turned to Oliver, seeking an answer. What she found was him smiling at her. Not just any smile, but _her_ smile, the small but genuine one. The one that made her stomach flip and her fingers itch. He looked at her again like she was still the only thing in the world that mattered, and that was not allowed because he had already shut that door with the “I just don’t think I can ever be with someone I could really care about” speech. But her heart still beat a little faster, her stomach still did the flip, her insides still felt gooey and she still hoped that the smile meant more than just platonic things.

“Felicity, you’re fine,” Oliver said, the smile never leaving his face. He turned and faced Moira. The smile was gone, but he seemed calm and collected, ready to face this head on. “I’ll go to the wedding. But I will also be attending the ITBC as well. I need to keep my position as CEO in mind here.”

“Of course dear,” Moira said. Her voice was soft and kind, something Felicity had never heard. This must have been the loving mother voice, the one she used when her children made her proud. It made Felicity smile. Moira may be a mastermind, but there was no one in the world who could say that she didn’t love her children. “I’m glad you want to keep your responsibilities in mind.”

She turned to leave and Felicity followed on instinct, walking her to the elevator through the open door. The executive floor was thankfully empty, so no one had seen her babbling. They hadn’t been that bad in a long time. She blamed Oliver in his stupid nice suit with his stupid soft smile and his stupid blue eyes. She sighed to herself. Nothing about him was stupid. The stupid one was her. Oliver had shut her down already. She needed to stop hoping for something that didn’t exist.

They reached the elevator in a few more steps and Moira turned to face her. Her eyes were bright and she had a small smile on her face. It made Felicity gulp.

“It seems I may have underestimated you, Miss Smoak.”

“Please call me Felicity, Mrs. Queen. And thank you, for that. I guess.”

“You have quite a bit of sway with my son,” she said, tilting her head slightly.

“Yes ma’am. I mean no ma’am, no sway. No swaying of any kind.” She sighed again and looked back at her boss/friend/unrequited crush object. “I know he doesn’t want to go, but I think he needs to. Family is important and he can’t keep isolating himself from the people he loves. If he doesn’t go, I think he would regret not being able to spend that time with Thea.” She lowered her voice, speaking mostly to herself. “I just want him to be happy.”

She looked back to find Moira smiling at her again. “So do I.”

Moira stepped into the elevator and spoke over her shoulder. “I’m looking forward to see you at the festivities, dear. Please be sure to keep my son in line.”    

“I won’t be at the wedding Mrs. Queen,” she said, slightly confused.

Moira chuckled as the doors closed.

“Of course you will Felicity. You’re his plus one.”


	2. The Queen and I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity and Moira spend a little quality time together, and it turns into more that she bargained for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! We're back with a new chapter. As always, shoutout to nvwhovian and the-silverforked-sky for being the best betas/internet family ever.
> 
> We were absolutely blown away by the positive respond to Chapter 1. Thank you all so much! I haven't been able to reply to all of the comments, but I promise I will. Please stick with me thought the rest of this story and I hope you enjoy it moving forward.

 

 

Felicity walked into work late, still huffing from her near run across the Queen Consolidated parking garage to the main building. Some asshole had taken her parking spot. Her _reserved_ parking spot, the one that literally had her name painted on it. She had noted the plate number and the moment she had some free time, she was going to find that soulless monster and flood every device they owned with cat gifs. And not the good kind of cat gifs either; the ones with cats giving you the evil eye or hissing at children.

She was so angry that she didn’t notice Oliver standing outside his office, leaning against her desk. He held her morning coffee and muffin, a tradition that had started after she broke the coffee maker. She threw her bag onto her desk and its contents spilled out. She let her head fall back and groaned. Hopefully her day wouldn’t get much worse.

She turned towards Oliver and looked him over. What she saw made her start.  His jaw was clenched and his brow was furrowed. The look he gave her was so intense she felt like she was going to combust. It was too early for her to combust. He just stared at her and she couldn’t look away.

“Seriously? This is how you wanna start the day?”

John’s voice broke their bubble and Felicity felt the blush going all the way down to her chest. She wore her favorite purple dress with the small cutout in the front, thinking it would give her some extra armor for a hectic Monday. Instead, all it had gotten her so far were lots of headaches. She realized that Oliver wasn’t looking at her eyes anymore. He was staring at her neck, which was on full display. His eyes were darker than before, but why? It was just her neck.

Wait, was he turned on by her neck? Was Oliver actually turned on by _her?_

Oliver set the muffin down on her desk and took a step towards her. He held out her coffee and as she reached for it her fingers grazed his, sending a warm fuzzy feeling through her. His fingers tightened slightly around the to-go cup. It wasn’t much but it told her that her touch affected him too. She affected him. Maybe the looks he gave her yesterday were more than just wishful thinking? What if they meant something?

_Come on Smoak. It is way too early in the day to get your hopes up. Just ignore it._

“Thanks,” she said to Oliver and took the cup. He smiled at her awkwardly, like that wasn’t the reaction he was hoping for. He actually looked a little disappointed.

John snorted and Oliver glared at him. Felicity turned and smiled at the bodyguard.

“Good morning John.”

“Good morning Felicity. Oliver, I’m supposed to remind you that your mother will be here for lunch and that I will be driving her.”

“Fine,” he said. He sounded annoyed. Felicity turned to see Oliver scowling at John, who simply smiled back. They had one of those silent staring contests before Oliver turned without a word and went back to his office. He dropped into his chair with a huff and started reading something on his computer.

“He knows we can still see him right?” she asked.

“I think so. Better he gets it out now before his mother shows up.”

Felicity had to repress a shiver at the mention of Moira. It had been a week and she still couldn’t get those words out of her head. Why would she be Oliver’s plus one? This wasn’t a mission and he hadn’t asked her, so she had no reason to go. She was obligated to attend the ITBC, so she definitely had to go to Boston. Did Moira just assume that meant she would be with Oliver? Honestly it made sense in terms of  convenience. Oliver had been hung up on Laurel, but after she tried to convict his mother, he had refused to acknowledge her anymore. He was hurt, and finding someone whom he had to pretend to like for a week probably seemed like too much. If she went, Oliver could at least have a friend there to keep him in line.

Just like Moira said.

That’s all it was. Moira just meant that Oliver needed a trusted voice in his ear. She was used to that. She was good at that. She could help him make sense of who was talking to him and why, what their motivations for being at the wedding were, who they were close to. It would just be her acting as his assistant, but in a more familial setting. She could do that.

_But can you deal with being next to him and not be with him? God, when did I start thinking in clichés?_

She heard the elevator door open and looked up to see Moira Queen walking towards her. The woman was looking at her very differently now. She still exuded elegance in her simple grey dress and dark coat, but her face seemed more open now. The only way Felicity could describe it was fondness. Moira Queen was looking at her fondly and she was not equipped to handle whatever that meant. Today was just getting worse and worse.

“Felicity dear, how are you?” Moira asked. God, she even sounded _happy_ to see her. Felicity’s brain kicked into overdrive, going over everything that she and Oliver had done over the last week that might give Moira a reason to be happy. The only thing she could think of was that Moira was the one parked in her space. She really hoped that wasn’t it.

“Mrs. Queen, it’s great to see you. I’m doing well, thank you. Oliver is on a call right now.” She gasped. “Oh no, you must have lunch plans with him!” It was almost noon and she hadn't even noticed. She had been on autopilot and completely lost track of time. “I’m so sorry, he didn’t tell me had anything scheduled so I added a conference call with the Northeast branch to prep for the conference at the end of the month. He wanted to make sure that Queen Consolidated would be well represented while he was at the wedding so I added this to schedule. I am so sorry but-“

“Felicity, it isn’t a problem. I’m glad to see that you and he are both committed to ensuring the company’s future.” The way she said it sounded like she wasn’t talking about the company. “Actually, I am here to invite you to lunch. Mr. Diggle has offered to drive us and I have a wonderful table set aside at Table Salt.”

Huh?

“The chef has assured me that a kosher meal can be prepared easily if you require one.”

What?

“You are such a large part of Oliver’s life on a daily basis, and I have neglected meeting the people his life now. I want to correct that mistake, starting with you.”

“Uuuh…”

“Come dear, we will be late.” Moira turned and nodded to John, who nodded back. Felicity’s head snapped around and she stared at him, slack jawed. He just smiled at her and wiggled his eyebrows. He knew! That traitor knew! Oh, he was _so_ getting hacked for this.

“Mrs. Queen, I don’t think I can do that. Oliver will need-“

“Felicity,” Moira said, turning to look at her, “you must learn not to reject other people’s hospitality. Especially when it involves food.” Her voice had a hint of steel to it. This wasn’t suggestion. This was a command from the Matriarch of the Queen family. Felicity gulped and took a deep breath. She gathered her things and followed Moira toward the elevator. She held her head high and walked calmly, a complete contradiction to the internal freak out she was having. Lunch with Moira Queen. Just the two of them. All alone. This had to be because of what she saw last week in Oliver’s office. This was probably the hush-money lunch, or maybe it was the ‘don’t touch my son or I will leave you jobless forever’ lunch. God, she hoped it wasn’t that one.

They made their way to the car in silence, neither having a need to speak. That scared and calmed her. If Moira wasn’t talking, then whatever she had to say must be bad. On the plus side, it saved Felicity from putting her foot in her mouth for a few more minutes. The cool air swept over her face as they exited the building and she breathed deep. She could do this. If Moira wanted a fight, then she would get a fight. Felicity Smoak was not a woman to mess with.  

John opened the town car door and they climbed inside. Moira sat on her left and adjusted herself just so. Felicity sat with her giant purse in her lap, holding it against her chest like a shield. The interior of Moira’s town car wasn’t much different from the one Oliver used, though there was a privacy screen between them and the front seat. Everything was also very muted; even her breathing seemed softer than normal. The car must be soundproof too.

Moira tapped on the glass and they pulled away from the curb and into Starling City traffic. It was slightly harder to see out of the tinted glass, but she could still keep track of where they were. She had the city grid memorized after so many missions directing Oliver through the streets. She knew exactly where they were and where Table Salt was. If they deviated at all, she would know. She just had to trust that John would give her a heads up if something was about to happen.

“So dear, how did a woman who graduated from MIT at 19 years old with a Master’s Degree in Computer Science and Cyber Security end up as an assistant to my son?”

Felicity took a deep breath to steady herself. Moira had just started this fight. Going after her credentials made the move seem strong, but it was just to test the waters. She wanted to gauge Felicity’s responses and ramp up the interrogation accordingly. She had complete control here and she knew it. But Felicity would not be afraid of her. No, she had earned that degree with her own efforts, she earned her jobs, both with Queen Consolidated and with her vigilante partner and damn it she was good at both.

_Bring it on._

“For the most part, I enjoyed my time in Cambridge. By the end I-,” she paused to collect her thoughts. Now was not the time for trip down memory lane, “I wanted to get away. I learned a lot about myself and my potential while I was there, but I didn’t like who I had become. So I changed. I left and came to the other side of the country, to build something for myself. To be someone I could look at in the mirror and be proud of.”

“And would you say that you have become that person?”

“I’m not there yet. But I am getting there with your son’s help.”

“Yes, well, putting arrows into people doesn’t seem like your forte, though considering some of the places he has infiltrated it makes sense that he would have admirable technical support.”

“Oliver doesn’t put arro-“

Felicity stopped talking, stopped thinking and almost stopped breathing. Moira just kept staring at her impassively, looking into her eyes. There was no judgement, no concern, no surprise. She knew.

_Moira knew._

“How long?” Felicity whispered.

“Since the Undertaking. Maybe even before,” Moira said. She spoke evenly, letting the news wash over Felicity.  “I was once threatened by the Vigilante inside of my office in Queen Consolidated. I mentioned Oliver and Thea to persuade him not to hurt me, and he stood down. I shot him,” she shivered at the memory and the understanding that she shot her own son, and _wow_ that was heavy, “I remember very distinctly how he looked and his manner of speech. The man who interrogated Oliver and myself was not the Vigilante. That, combined with Oliver’s reaction to my involvement in the Undertaking, confirmed my suspicions. The doctors told me that the man who returned may not resemble the boy who left. I never imagined how true that would be.”

“Oliver has done so much good for the city!”

Moira turned to face her, a confused look on her face. Felicity was angry now. Moira’s tone was _not_ OK. She could _not_ demean Oliver like that, not after he had given so much for the city.

“The Undertaking would have killed thousands of people if Oliver hadn’t stepped in. He fights and bleeds so other people don’t have to. He saves people’s lives on a daily basis and gets absolutely nothing out of it for himself. All he does is sacrifice parts of himself for the people around him-“

“And I am just as proud of him as you are Felicity. Perhaps even more so.”

Felicity paused, taken aback by her words.

“What?”

Moira’s face softened and she looked at Felicity like she had the previous week, when she had said she underestimated her. “Every mother’s dream is to see their children do something meaningful. Oliver’s life has a purpose; help others in every way he can. He gives as much as he can to save those who need it, yet he receives almost nothing but hate for his efforts.” She leveled that all knowing look at her again. Why did all the Queens seem to stare into her soul? “Well, almost nothing but hate from the general public. Yet he continues to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. My son is a great man.”

Felicity gulped. Actually gulped like in the cartoons. If she had a collar she would pull at it. Moira Queen was too perceptive for her own good. How did this woman know everything?

“How did you know?” Felicity whispered.

Moira smiled at her and reached for her hand. Moira Queen was holding her hand. She knew Oliver was the Arrow. She knew Felicity helped him and that was why she was promoted. She knew Felicity had feelings for Oliver. And now she was holding her hand. This was getting way too surreal.

“I’ve seen the way you look at him. It is the way every man in the world wishes a woman would look at him; with eyes that see him for all that he is. A mother can only hope for her son to find someone like that.”

Felicity sighed. Moira saw through her, just like everyone else did. She knew she had it bad for Oliver, but she didn’t realize it was that obvious. Really though, if she thought about all the staring, the lingering, the small smiles, the hope that he would look at her for just a second longer…maybe she knew all along. Maybe she wanted other people to see it. And maybe, just maybe, she wanted him to see it.

_It doesn’t matter. You would never work anyway._

“He just…he gives up so much of himself and he doesn’t care. His first thought when he’s under the hood is always to put himself between the danger and everyone else. He doesn’t care about himself.” Felicity looked up and made eye contact with Moira. She still had that soft look on her face. “He hates himself so much for the person he used to be and the person he became to survive. I just wish he could see himself through my eyes. I just wish he could see how amazing he is.” Felicity took a deep, shuddering breath. The cat was out of the bag already. No reason to hide her feelings now. “I just think that he’s so focused on the people he loves that he forgets to see that there are people who love him.”

Moira’s smile grew into something bordering on joyous. Her eyes glistened, and she blinked several times to keep tears from falling. It astounded Felicity just how much Moira loved her children.

“Thank you Felicity. Oliver is truly lucky to have you in his life.”

Felicity smiled back and gently squeezed Moira’s hand. Moira chuckled quietly before pulling her hand back. She took a deep breath and composed herself, though she still wore a ghost of her previous smile.

“Mr. Diggle? Take us to location two please,” she said into the intercom.

“Yes, Mrs. Queen.”

“Location two? What’s location two? Oh god, this really is a ‘don’t go near my son again or you’ll live to regret it’ talk, isn’t it?”

“Felicity, if anyone is going to be near my son, it will be you.”

“Excuse me what?”

Moira stared straight ahead she spoke, clearly trying not to smile too much. “You know all sides of Oliver; you are an integral part of his life. He depends on you to keep him safe and give him counsel. You care for him and the one thing you want above all else if his happiness. Can you name a person more deserving of my son than you?”

Felicity’s jaw dropped to the floor, or at least as far as it could go. Did Moira Queen just give her  blessing? Did she just encourage Felicity to go after Oliver? What the hell was happening?

“My son is a stubborn man, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. I’m sure it has only grown worse since his time on the island. The thing he wants most is the thing he will most vehemently deny himself. So we must make that thing something he cannot live without. We must make it irresistible.”

“What does he want?”

Now Moira looked at her like she was disappointed in her.

“Felicity darling, he wants you.”

Leave it to the Queen matriarch to drop a bomb on you and then leave the car. Felicity sat there shell shocked, trying her best to process what Moira had said. The thing he wants the most, the thing he denies himself. Her. He wants her.

_Oliver wants me._

Felicity flung herself across the seat and out of the open door, not caring at all about looking graceful. There was no time for graceful. Moira had a plan to make Oliver want her, and she clearly wanted them together. Exiting the car, she hoped that Moira had a way to make that happen.

What she found was a terrifying presence and an evil mastermind.

“So your Ollie’s nerdy assistant. Hmmm. I think we can work with this.”

Thea. Thea was here. Oh God, why was Thea at Table Salt? And what did she mean she could work with this?

“Come dear, your fitting starts in fifteen minutes. We need to take our seats.”

“Mrs. Queen, I don’t understand why I’m here for Thea’s dress fitting.”

Thea and Moira looked at each other, then they looked at her. Even with the younger Queen in a maroon leather jacket, jeans and casual brown boots, she looked like her mother. Both of them wore the same smug smile and suddenly, Felicity realized she had been tricked. Her stomach dropped and her knees wobbled. Moira had set her up. She must have been planning this since she left last week.

“There’s no reservation at Table Salt is there?” Felicity asked quietly, hoping this was just some big mistake. She looked up and saw the building they stood in front of was one of the trendiest boutiques in the city. Waiting lists for a place like this were weeks long. But she, Felicity Smoak, had an appointment here in fifteen minutes with two thirds of the Queen family. And she was being left to Thea, a fashionista with the eye of a hawk.

“Can I just go back to work?”

“Nope,” Thea said, popping the last syllable, “sorry, Fell. Can I call you Fell? Too late, it sticks. There’s no food, but there is champagne-“

“Which we will all avoid, as it is the middle of the day.” Moira beckoned Felicity forward. “Come dear. We have work to do.”

She was so screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo are you nervous for Felicity? The poor girl is in for a long day :)
> 
> Please let me know what you think! Constructive criticism and comments are always appreciated. If you like the story, share it!


	3. Say Yes to the Dress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver has a chat with his best friend and finally asks an important question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey folks! We are back with Chapter 3! I just want to say that we are absolutely floored by your support of this story. Thank you all so so much!  
> Today, we get a POV shift! From this point on, every third chapter will be from Oliver's point of view.  
> I hope you enjoy!

 

 

 

Oliver tried not to keep looking over at Felicity’s empty desk. He really did.  He tried his best to keep himself engrossed in the quarterly shareholder report, but her voice in his head told him he didn’t understand profit margin fluctuations. He tried to work through some of the prep documents for the tech conference in Boston, but all he could see was a curtain of blond hair and bright blue eyes. He even tried to sort through his calendar and re-prioritize his meetings for tomorrow, but it was already exactly how he wanted it, because she _always_ knew exactly what he needed to do. Everything he did came back to Felicity.

Oliver sighed and put the papers down. Who was he kidding? He couldn’t get himself to focus on anything, not after what happened earlier that morning. Felicity was wearing _the dress_ , that purple one that made her chest and ass both look amazing. Not that she didn’t look amazing in everything she wore, but this dress was just…better somehow. It made her legs look a mile long and with her hair up it showed off her neck too. When did he turn into a neck guy? Or was it just Felicity’s neck?

Oliver had always thought she was cute, in a wholesome nerdy kind of way. She always made him smile, whether she meant to or not. She could brighten up a room just by walking into it. But then she had locked him in the Foundry. She had refused to be intimidated by him She was incredibly dedicated to her job and the mission, giving up so much to help him. She challenged him to do better, to _be_ better and she fought to keep him straight. She had become such a large part of his life in less than a year. It was almost impossible to imagine himself without her by his side.

He had been so scared that he would lose her when the Count broke into Queen Consolidated. A knot formed in his gut when he thought about it, the  familiar combination of fear and anger welling up inside him. It was so much harder not to be next to her now. The only way he knew she was safe was if he could see her.  Hell, it was hard not to have her in his line of sight. He wanted to see her, talk to her, hold her; he needed to know that she was still there. He needed to know she was there next to him.

The standoff with the Count had been almost two weeks ago, but sitting in the office, Oliver could still see it. He saw the maniac standing behind Felicity, who was bound to a chair. He remembered the anger he felt when the Count played with her hair and caressed her shoulders. making her squirm.  She refused to give in to the fear, even when she was restrained. Her life had been in danger and all she thought about was his promise to Tommy. She had been terrified, but her priority had been for him not to kill. He saw her tear stained face and heard the whimper she made when the bastard touched her hair. No one did that to Felicity. _No one._ She was amazing, talented, intelligent, bright, beautiful, wonderful and _his_ -

“Stop it,” he whispered to himself, “you can’t think like that. She isn’t yours. She isn’t anybody’s. You can’t get involved.”       

_No, you have to keep her safe. Nothing can happen to her. You have to make sure no one can ever hurt her. Keep her next to you. Hold her close. Tell her she means everything. Tell her-_

“Please tell me you aren’t drawing hearts around her name too?”

Oliver looked up to see Tommy Merlyn leaning against his office door. He stood there smiling at him, a teasing glint in his eye. He had suffered a lot in the Undertaking, but didn’t bear many physical scars from it. Only the cane and his heavy limp gave away his injuries from the CNRI building collapse. He had saved Laurel, but not before she saw him talking to the Hood. Tommy had stayed to search for more people, but had got trapped under some fallen debris. Oliver had found him in time and helped him out of the destroyed law office. In the end Tommy got away with just a badly broken leg, though things could have been far worse.

“Tommy, what are you doing here?” has asked, rising from his desk to greet him. He wrapped his friend in a one armed hug and walked him over to the seating area by his desk.

“Oh, just came by to see if you wanted to do lunch? I wasn’t sure if you were free since you’ve got the business and your _other_ business always going,” he said with a smile.

Tommy and Oliver had come to an understanding regarding his nightly activities. Tommy had been reticent to know at first, but Oliver had opened up the lair to his friend, trying to show the other man who he really was. And Tommy had come around, even saying he was proud of what Oliver had done. Having his best friend on his side in both parts of his life was a wonderful thing.

“Nope, just day business,” Oliver said. His face set and his voice grew serious. “Have you heard from Laurel?”

Tommy’s face mirrored Oliver’s. His shoulders sagged as he sat down, looking heavy and tired.

“She’s doing better. She called me the other day to tell me about her group session. They celebrated being two months sober together. She said Coast City has been good for her and she wants to stay for a while longer. Says that rehab has given her a lot of clarity.” He looked Oliver in the eye. His friend’s pain was hard to ignore.

Things had been rough for Tommy. His recovery was slow and painful, but it was nothing compared to the emotional problems. Laurel took to drinking after her near death experience. She had been a wreck, lashing out at Tommy because he spoke to the Hood. She blamed the Hood for bringing out the madmen who tried to destroy the city. She blamed Malcolm and Moira for the Undertaking, and by association, she blamed Tommy and himself. She had spiraled, drinking way too much. She attacked Tommy for knowing the Hood. She attacked him for being Malcolm Merlyn’s son. She had called him a murderer and a monster, just like his father. Laurel hit rock bottom a week later when, in a drunken stupor, she offered to try to reduce Moira’s sentencing if Oliver took her back. That was the last straw for him. Oliver and Tommy both walked away from her. Laurel finally saw how far gone she was and took steps to get herself help

“She just keeps apologizing for everything she said. I’ve asked her when she will come home but…” he sighed and wiped a hand over his face. He gave Oliver a sad smile. “I don’t think she’s coming back Ollie.”

Oliver nodded and sat down next to his friend. The two men sat in silence for a moment. Laurel was a sore spot for both of them, but they both wanted what was best for her. She knew her family history with addiction. She knew just how far she had to go to beat it. If she felt she needed to stay, then they would trust her. Tommy pushed himself up with his cane and strode over to Oliver’s desk.

“Oliver?”

“Yeah?”

“Felicity’s name is all over this report.”

“Of course it is. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t understand most of what was in the conference briefing. That particular report had way too many performance numbers for me to track, so she tried to dumb it down just a little for me. She says that it’s just statistics, and that I do more complicated math and angle calculation when I fire an arrow or swing from a building. I keep telling her that isn’t math. Its years of training and practical application. Why doesn’t she get that? Why are you smiling at me like that?”

“No, I mean Felicity’s name is all over this report.”

Oliver gulped. He knew had been thinking about her all day, since he had seen her this morning. He hadn’t been able to focus when she’d left for lunch. He had almost tried to follow his mother out when they left, but Diggle had given him the “I got her” nod so he’d let them go. He knew Diggle would keep her safe, but that didn’t mean she would be _safe._ She was safest when he could see her. She was safest with him. She would be safest in his bed wrapped in in his arms with his head in the crook of her neck-

_What the hell was that?_

“Earth to Oliver!”

Oliver looked up to find Tommy staring at him with _that_ look in his eye. He knew exactly what it meant. That look had been on Tommy’s face when he rented out a stadium to play strip football with supermodels or decided to fill a pool full of tequila. That look meant trouble was coming. As long as he wasn’t smiling, Oliver knew he would be okay. If Tommy just had the look, he was only thinking about the idea. Unfortunately Tommy wasn’t just smiling; he was beaming.

_Crap._

“Where did you go just now?”

“I, uh-“

“Never mind, I know. Someplace with a small blonde with glasses. Was there a bed involved? I’m betting there was a bed involved. I’ve never been a fan of the nerdy type, but Smoaky makes it work.”

Oliver took a deep steadying breath, trying his best not to run over to Tommy and strangle him. He could not talk about Felicity like that. She wasn’t like any of the girls from the past. She wasn’t a fling. She was so much more than that. Also Smoaky? What the hell kind of nickname was Smoaky? _His_ Felicity was better than that. _His_ Felicity should be called by her name because her name sounded wonderful rolling off his tongue. It meant so many different things at once. But every single one ended with a smile. Because _his_ Felicity was happiness.

_Get a grip Queen. She isn’t yours. And she never will be._

“Ollie? You okay?”

“Hmm,” Oliver said, trying to focus on the now and not an incredibly difficult truth.

“You just told yourself to get a grip,” Tommy said. His smile dropped and became almost sad, and his eyes spoke volumes, “and you said she would never be yours.”

Oliver stared at his friend for a moment, trying to come to terms with the fact that he had said that out loud. He fought to come up with a lie, but just hung his head and sighed.

“Because of the life that I lead, I just think it would be better if I wasn’t with someone I could really care about,” he whispered.

He wanted to be with someone, but he had done so much harm to so many people. Just being around him was toxic. As far as he knew, Felicity didn’t have much of a social life outside of himself and Diggle and occasionally Tommy. She spent so much time at work or at the Foundry that he assumed she couldn’t. And sometimes, on nights when they finished early and he couldn’t calm down, he would ride to her apartment, sit out on her fire escape and watch her. It bordered on stalking, but seeing her sitting in her pajama pants and oversized t-shirt watching Doctor Who always managed to calm him. She made him feel safe; something he hadn’t truly felt since before the Gambit went down.

“Ollie, from what you’ve told me about the island, I think it should be the other way around.”

“What?”

Tommy sighed and shook his head. “Look buddy. You don’t have the best track record with relationships. Actually neither of us do. But yours is a lot worse than mine. Bearing that in mind, wouldn’t it make sense for someone who is slow to trust and desperate for real connections with people to be with someone who knows all sides of them?”

“Tommy, it’s not that simple.”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. It _is_ that simple. I think you just like being a masochist. Probably a holdover from getting tortured and beaten.”

Oliver snorted and chuckled. Tommy had shied away from making jokes about the island, but after Oliver had opened up to him, he made a point to treat it like anything else they talked about. He knew that Tommy understood what happened to Oliver was terrible, but he refused to sweep it under the rug. He accepted Oliver’s time there and what it molded him into. His best friend would never know how grateful he was for that.

“I’m not a masochist. All I want is for her to be safe. And I am the last person she should be with because of it.”

“Yet you never tell her to get out. You never tell her that she should walk away from you. In fact, you just pulled her closer to you. I can understand why you wanted to run. What I don’t understand is why you immediately put her right next to you as soon as you get back.”

“I told you,” Oliver said, “I couldn’t walk down eighteen floors to the IT Department every time I wanted to talk about how we spend our nights.”

“First of all, terrible choice of words. Second of all, there were other ways to make sure you both could talk. You could have given her a direct line to you and vice versa. Like a hotline phone. Or you could just text her. Instead, you made her your assistant and set up her desk less than ten feet away from you on the other side of a glass wall so it is always in your field of vision. If that isn’t a perfect example of this push-and-pull thing you’ve got going then I don’t know what is. Plus, if you can’t trust her to be safe with anyone else, wouldn’t the best solution be to _always be with her_?”

“Tommy-“

“You know she came to visit me during my rehab. She and Dig would bring me Big Belly Burger and try to take my mind off of Laurel, my dad, the Undertaking, you leaving again…” Tommy paused. His face was strained again and Oliver could see him trying not to fall back into the painful memories. When he spoke again, his voice was quieter but much harsher. “She was there for me when I needed someone. She helped me see you for who you are. Felicity cares about people. And the one she cares about the most is you.”

Oliver blinked and took a moment to process what Tommy had said. He knew she was attracted to him physically. He knew they were good friends. He knew she was hurt when he slept with Isabel. But to hear Tommy say Felicity cared about him the most made his stomach flip and his chest tighten.

“Stop playing this game with her. She deserves better from you. And you deserve to stop surviving and start living.”

With that, Tommy stood up and spun his cane with a flourish. His phone rang once “Well, as much as I want to sit here and watch you pine over Smoaky, I’ve got to-“

Oliver’s phone buzzed three times. He slid it from his pocket, ignoring Tommy for a moment. Felicity’s picture popped up and Oliver smiled. It was a reflex now. He opened the message and felt his blood turn to ice.

_FS: Oliver._

_FS: Help me._

_FS: Please._

“Tommy, I have to go,” he said as he left the office. He took the executive elevator to the parking garage, cursing his luck as he went. Diggle was with his mother and Felicity, so there was no way he could get the car. Luckily for him, his bad habit of riding the Ducati meant he had left it in the garage. He ran towards the bike,, activating the tracker in Felicity’s phone as he went. He linked his phone to the Bluetooth device in his helmet and took off.

He wove through the streets of the financial district, cutting between cars and making a few illegal turns. The GPS lead him towards the shopping district in Downtown. His mind raced through the possible scenarios. Felicity wouldn’t text him for help unless she was actually in trouble. That meant Dig must have been incapacitated. And if she was still with his mother, that meant they were both in danger. Had one of the survivors of the Undertaking attacked them? Were they hurt?

He never should have let Felicity out of his sight. First the Count, now being attacked along with his mother. For Christ’s sake, she even had Diggle and they were still in trouble. How was he supposed to keep her safe? How was he supposed to keep that terrified look off her face, or keep his gut for twisting into knots from fear?

Oliver reached the location of Felicity’s phone. He was in the heart of the shopping district, close to one of Thea’s favorite stores. The tracker showed Felicity inside of nondescript three story gray building. It housed one of the few boutiques in Starling that didn’t have to be paid for their discretion with clients. This store didn’t even have a name, just an unlisted phone number given to wealthy socialites.

Oliver barreled his way into the building, his mind going into overdrive. He had to find her. She needed his help. He had wasted so much time getting here. He had almost gone back to Verdant to hood up, but would have wasted even more time. Time Felicity and his mother didn’t have.

A startled young woman in a form fitting blue dress sitting at the front desk yelped when he came towards her. She recoiled from him a little. He slammed his hands down on the desk and leveled a glare at her.

“Where are Moira Queen and Felicity Smoak?” he growled.

“Ro-room 6, Mis-Mister Queen,” she said.

Oliver pushed off the desk and quickly made his way down a long, wide hallway. The yellow walls and white trim made the entire area seem bright and cheerful, but Oliver couldn’t appreciate it. He needed to get to Room 6 and see Felicity. Once he knew she was ok, he could relax. And if she wasn’t ok, God help anyone who had laid a finger on her.

Oliver found the entrance to Room 6, a pair of white double doors with gold handles. He heard sounds coming from the room. Taking a moment to steady his breathing, Oliver set his ear to the crack in the door. He listened to the voices on the other side. They were too muffled to distinguish words, probably too far away from the door to hear. Then he heard Felicity’s voice, tired and weak.

“Please, just stop. I can’t take this anymore.”

Anger surged through Oliver. He burst into the room, Felicity’s name rolling off his tongue immediately.

Felicity sat in the middle of a couch, surrounded by piles of dresses in every color. They formed a rainbow ring around her. She slouched against the back of the couch her head resting against the back. To his left was a runway leading to a bank of mirrors where Thea stood, holding a dress in each hand. She was staring at him like he had two heads. His mother sat in a high backed chair to the left of the mirrors, a magazine in her lap and a cup of tea in her hand. She didn’t respond to Oliver barging into the room at all.

Oliver moved over to Felicity and knelt in front of her. She finally came out of her stupor and blinked repeatedly, like she was trying to figure out whether he was real or not.

“Hey,” he said, using the tone he reserved for her, “I’m here.”

She relaxed at his words and he reached out to put a hand on her shoulder to ground himself. She smiled at him. It was small but genuine and that told him everything he needed to know. He blew out a huge breath felt his shoulders slump as the tension and fear left him. She was ok.

_Thank God._

“Hi,” she whispered.

“Hi.”

“You came.”

“Of course.”

“I didn’t… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“I’ll always come for you. I promise.”

She looked surprised by his conviction in his voice, but after a moment, she smiled again.

Thea snorted behind him, and he turned to face her. His sister was smiling from ear to ear, her eyes bright and full of mischief. She bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, excitement pouring out of her. She stage whispered to his mother.

“Oh. My. God. Mom you were right. It’s ridiculous. How is that even real?”

Moira hummed her approval and sipped her tea like nothing had happened.

“Ollie! Since you’re here please break the tie. We can’t pick and Mom won’t help.”

He turned back to Felicity and gave her a look. She ducked her head and tried to hide. The anger was back, but for an entirely different reason.

“You sent me a 911 text because you didn’t want to pick a dress.”

He saw her cringe a little at his tone. He was angry with her. It wasn’t about being called to pick a dress. He thought she was in danger. The only thing he could picture the Count holding needles against her neck. This wasn’t even worth getting mad over. But he was a little selfish when it came to his emotions. Sue him.

“No,” she said looking him right in the eye, “I sent you a 911 text because I can’t keep up with your sister and I needed you to save me before I drowned in satin and silk. Though if I had to pick a way to go, being swamped in too much couture isn’t too bad. Also, I didn’t want to pick a dress.”

Oliver snorted and shook his head, the anger giving way to amusement. Felicity just shrugged. He turned to Thea and examined the dresses she held. He imagined Felicity in both outfits, letting his mind wander as he did. He imagined holding her close as they danced, leaning down to whisper in her ear and press a kiss to her shoulder. It only took a second to choose.

“The green one,” he said. His voice sounded deep and dark, almost Arrow-like in its intensity. The change didn’t go unnoticed. Moira looked at him over the rim of her teacup and Thea’s eyebrows shot up. She took a look at the green dress in her right hand and tossed the other dress over her shoulder like it was trash. She walked over to the wall to hang the chosen item with the other dresses they had apparently picked. Seven dresses hung on the hooks. Bags sat underneath them, no doubt filled with the appropriate accessories and shoes. Thea was anything if not thorough when it came to shopping. Felicity wasn’t kidding about not keeping up.

“Can I go back to work now? I am actually excited to set your schedule and clean my desk. Please?”

Oliver turned back to Felicity and noticed just how tired she looked. Her eyes were dimmer than normal, and even the concealer on her face didn’t completely hide the dark circles under them. She looked overworked and unrested. His chest tightened and he had to resist the urge to pull her to him. He wanted to do something for her, show her how much he appreciated her. Maybe he could give her a vacation. She had certainly earned one with all the work she did.  But how would he let her go somewhere and be free of everything for a few days? He could barely let her out of his sight as it was. He knew she would fight him on that point. She made her own choices and lived her own life.

Tommy’s voice rang out in his mind.

“ _Stop playing this game with her. She deserves better from you. And you deserve to stop surviving and start living…, if you can’t trust her to be safe with anyone else, wouldn’t the best solution be to_ always be with her _?_ ”

She wasn’t always safe, but if he was with her, at least he could protect her. Especially if they were going to this wedding. Oliver bit back a frustrated groan when realized that he had never actually asked her to come with him for that. He was such an idiot. All his travel plans and event RSVPs were for two. She must have thought he was going to ask someone else. He needed to clear that up right now. He needed Felicity to understand that the one her wanted next to him was her.

_God you are a selfish bastard._

“Felicity.”

“Hmmm,” she said as her eyes closed.

“Would you like to be my plus one for the Dearden wedding?”

She let her head fall to the side and looked over her glasses at him. He would never admit it, but that look did things to him that were not appropriate for present company.

“Oliver, be serious. We need to get back soon.”  

“I am serious.”

She sat upright and leaned toward him slightly, looking right into his eyes. The blue grey color didn’t look dull anymore. Her eyes conveyed confusion and something he thought was hope.

“I don’t want to read too much into this, but are you asking me to be your date? Like as in your _date_ date?

“Well, you see…” _I want to keep you next to me and keep you safe_ , “…what I mean is…” _I can’t imagine a single person in the world I want by my side more than you,“_ …the implication being that,” _I want to hold you close and never let you go._

“Usually I’m the one talking in sentence fragments.”

And just like that, he was smiling and chuckling. She always knew what to say to keep him in the moment. It was a talent. Or maybe it was just her. He reached out and took her hand, just like he had when he told her there had been no choice to make.

“Felicity, would you be my plus one to the wedding?”

She nodded her head quickly and squeezed his hand once.

“Yes.”

An excited squeal came from behind them. Oliver turned to see Thea bouncing up and down next to Moira, who stood with her hands clasped in front of her. Both women wore smiles on their faces. Thea’s was huge and toothy, full of energy and excitement. His mother’s smile was warm and serene; it was a smile he hadn’t seen since Thea was born. She was well and truly happy about what she had just seen.

“Well,” Moira said, “I guess we need to have these items packed and made ready for travel. And I believe it’s time I placed a call to Marissa.”

Thea’s squeal of excitement tripled in volume. It echoed around the room and Moira leaned away from her slightly. Oliver felt a smile tug at his lips. He hadn’t see the woman in question in more than eight years. It would be great to see her now that he had-

A shock ran through Oliver’s system. He finally understood what he mother had meant that afternoon in his office. He understood the looks she had given in each morning at breakfast. He saw exactly what was happening. They were in trouble.

“Who’s Marissa?”

He turned back to look at Felicity, who looked completely and utterly confused.

Oh they were in big trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I feel the need to explain what I did with Laurel here. 
> 
> Laurel in early Season 2 was in a bad place, struggling with addiction and the Tommy's death. I kept the addiction as a part of her story, as it is an integral part of her family history. In this story, Tommy came to represent the Hood, since she saw them talking in CNRI. When she pushed him away, she looked for something familiar, which was Oliver. When he pushed her away she saw that she was repeating her father's mistakes. So, she made the choice to get help on her own, to fix her own problems. This is Laurel's way of taking back control of her life.
> 
> As always, let me know what you think!


	4. It Runs In the Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity takes her trip with the Queens, and a new player enters the arena.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers! Are you ready for my more? I know I am. This chapter means a lot to me since it will introduce my own original character. I am proud of her, so I hope you like her too!
> 
> On behalf of myself and my wonderful co-betas/internet family, @nvwhovian and @the-silverforked-sky, thank you all so much for supporting this story! We have more coming your way, so stay tuned!

 

“This is not a good idea,” Felicity said as her luggage was towed away to be loaded on the QC jet. The frigid February wind blew her hair away from her face and back over her shoulder. The red coat she wore kept the worst of the cold out, but did nothing to protect her exposed legs from the morning chill.  The dress was completely covered by her coat, something she should have considered earlier. Dressing for a commercial flight was one thing. Dressing for a flight with Queen family on a private jet? That was another thing entirely.

“Why isn’t this a good idea” Oliver asked, looking amazing in his jeans, dark Henley and pea coat. Stupid beautiful man.

“Because I’m your Executive Assistant Oliver! How does it look for you to show up to one of the largest gatherings of influential political and business leaders with your Executive Assistant in tow?”

Oliver blinked at her, wearing his patented “Confused Puppy” face. She tried not think about how adorable he looked, but failed. Then the sounds of planes flying overhead brought her back to the present. She was standing on the tarmac in front of the private hangar for the QC jet, next to Oliver and his family and waiting to fly across the country to spend a week with them as his plus one for a wedding. She sighed. What was she getting herself into?

“Oliver,” she said, turning to face him, “part of the reason you agreed to do this was to help mend fences. The other parts are supposed to be there as a member of the Dearden family and even take some time away from work. But, the person you choose to bring with you is affiliated with you _only Because. Of. Business._ ”.

Oliver thought for a moment.

“So what you’re saying is that by choosing to bring you as my date for the wedding, I am blurring the lines and calling into question my reasons for being there. And if I talk to anyone from the business world with you next to me, it will look like I only came for business reasons.”

“Exactly,” she said, though she was still a little hung up on how her stomach flipped when he said ‘date’.

“Felicity, that is half the point of these gatherings. I would just be one more of them. How is that bad?”

“Because we need to appear gracious and humble, dear,” Moira said, looking completely at ease in a white cashmere sweater and jeans. Felicity still couldn’t believe Moira Queen owned a pair of jeans, and definitely never imagined she would look comfortable in them. Yet she still held that same regal air she had in a boardroom or a charity gala.

She looked over at them and nodded at Felicity. “As Felicity correctly points out, if she is seen with you for reasons other than personal ones, we will be seen as heartless; a power hungry group only interested in furthering themselves. The family is very aware of the favor they are doing for me, and anything other than meeting their expectations exactly will be detrimental to our cause.”

“So what are their exact expectations,”Oliver asked.

Thea slid around Moira and sauntered up to Oliver and Felicity. Her beanie, oversized sweatshirt and yoga pants made her look even younger than nineteen, but she still made it look good. She and grabbed their hands and grinned, though to Felicity it looked more like an evil Cheshire Cat smile. Still holding their hands, she pulled them together and switch her grip, forcing Felicity to take Oliver’s hand.

“Lots of heart eyes, hand holding, and a general inability to keep your hands off of each other,” Thea said, skipping away to stand next to her mother again.

Felicity barely heard her. Her world narrowed down to just the space between her and Oliver and their joined hands. His hand engulfed hers, the tanned skin making hers look bright white. He held her hand gently, like he wasn’t sure what to do. She didn’t blame him; she wasn’t sure what to do either. She tried to pull away, careful to move slowly, but the moment her fingers started to move, he tightened his grip. She looked up at him, confused by the action. He seemed hesitant and unsure, almost like he was…shy.

_Oliver’s shy because he’s holding your hand._

Felicity’s fingers tightened involuntarily and she saw Oliver’s eyes grow wider. Then something changed. She wasn’t sure what, but she could feel it in the weight of his gaze. He looked down at her like he was taking her in for the first time, trying to see everything about her. Then his thumb back to rub lightly across her knuckles, back and forth in a steady motion.

A throat being cleared shattered their bubble, and Felicity jerked back at the sound. Oliver’s grip on her hand tightened again, keeping her right where she was. Felicity looked up to see Moira looking with amusement and a warm smile. Thea took the opportunity to sneak behind them and take Felicity’s other hand. She pulled Felicity toward the plane and this time Oliver let her go. Of course, the time she actually _wanted_ him to pull her back, he lets her go.

“Fell, you and I are about to become best friends,” Thea said, her Cheshire Cat smile firmly in place. Felicity gulped. This could be bad.

***

Five hours and forty-five minutes; the estimated travel time for the Flight of Doom. At least, that’s what Felicity called it in her head. Though, if this was to be her doom, having it happen while sitting in the most comfortable seat she had ever sat in probably wasn’t so bad. The interior of the plane was richly appointed, all cream leather captain’s seats and legroom for miles. The cabin could easily fit twenty people. With just the four of them, it seemed cavernous and suffocating at the same time.

She sat at the front of the plane, five rows up from Oliver and his family. She separated herself under the guise of preparing materials for the ITBC. Really, she was just trying to contain her freakout. She was _actually_ going across the country to be Oliver’s plus one for Moira Queen’s family. This wasn’t a weird day dream that her brain had concocted so she wouldn’t have to annotate another quarterly earnings report, or a fever dream from a caffeine crash. This was real. And terrifying.

Thankfully, Felicity’s tablet was full of things to distract her. Without a way to indulge in her go to distraction, Netflix, she was forced to pass the time in a more old-fashioned way. Her tablet was loaded with her entire book collection, so once the plane took off, she opened up _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_ and lost herself in the story.

“Whatcha readin’, Fell?”

Felicity squealed and whirled around to find Thea behind her with her hand outstretched and frozen in midair. She looked at Felicity for a second before, breaking out into a fit of giggles. The laughter was infectious, and soon Felicity’s giggles mirrored Thea’s. She calmed herself enough to wipe away the tear that formed in her eye and handed Thea her tablet.

“I’m a nerd, so I love nerdy things. Not just technology, but fantasy and science fiction too. I know that seems weird but-“

“I shipped Hermione & Krum so hard. I wished that had happened.”

“What?”          

Thea looked over the tablet at her and raised her eyebrow. Somehow, she managed to look exactly like Oliver _and_ Moira. Felicity mentally cringed. Thea Queen’s side eye was powerful.

“Krum. Viktor Krum. You know, Durmstrang’s champion, Bulgarian national quidditch team Seeker, tall dark and brooding? Ring any bells?”

“Krum wasn’t that tall.”

“He was supposed to be over six feet tall in _The Goblet of Fire._ ”

“Wait, you didn’t just watch the movies?”

Thea scoffed at her. “Please. I’ve read the books so many times that my handprint is set into the hardbacks.”

“I only had paper copies when I was younger. They’re so worn that the glue holding the pages together had flaked off. The only way they stay together is to wrap a rubber band around it.”

“I used to get lost in them. They were a great distraction when Ollie was gone.” Thea sighed. A veil of sadness covered her features. When she spoke again, her voice was softer. “Sometimes I would dream about being a witch and just Apperating to where Ollie and Dad were and bringing them home myself. Or finding a hippogriff and flying around the world to look for them… These books gave me a little hope to hold onto.”

Felicity looked at Thea for a second, trying to decipher this interaction. This was the first time they had spoken alone, and while the topic was fun, it didn’t feel like a normal conversation. What was Thea trying to accomplish? Was this another trap like the boutique? Was this all to try and start a round of interrogation about her intentions for Oliver? She really hoped not. Especially since she didn’t actually have an answer to that question. But the longer the silence went on, the more vulnerable Thea looked.

_She’s trying to open up to you. She’s just as nervous as you are._

Felicity looked into Thea’s eyes and saw so much pain. Those five years without her father and brother had broken something in her, something that was only now starting to heal. Oliver’s night job and lack of interest in her daily life wasn’t helping things, but she knew he was trying.

“So tell me,” Thea said, her voice small and reserved, “do you agree with my ship?”

“Why would I ship a guy Krum over Ron? Ron was endgame from the moment they first made fun of each other.”

Thea’s smile split her face from ear to ear. She leaned forward and crossed her arms, resting them on top of Felicity’s chair. Felicity shifted so she was sitting sideways, turning her body towards the younger Queen.

“You really don’t ship them? You?”

“No,” Felicity said, drawing out the word and slowly shaking her head. What was she missing?

“You mean you don’t ship the young, beautiful, capable and smartest witch in the book,” Thea said, pointing at Felicity, “and the tall, dark, brooding, slightly mysterious macho guy who appreciates her brain and her looks equally?” Then Thea casually pointed toward the back of the plane, right at a certain tall, ruggedly handsome, billionaire who loved to brood. She turned back to Felicity with a smile, but this smile was different. It was smaller, but far more genuine than the others Felicity had seen from her. “Because I sure do.”

Felicity ducked her head and blushed. Thea shipped her and Oliver. Wow.

“Hey you wanna see a magic trick,” Thea asked.

Felicity looked up at the younger Queen sibling and nodded.

“Ok,” she said, “I want you to call Oliver on the count of three. Ready?”

Felicity nodded again.

“Ok. One. Two. Three.”

Just before Felicity yelled for Oliver, Thea whispered in her ear, “ _Accio_ .” She timed it perfectly, and the end result sounded just like the Summoning Spell from _Harry Potter._ Felicity turned to Thea, wide eyed, a giant smile on her face. Thea’s expression was the same as hers, and the two girls broke out into a fit of giggles. It only got worse when Oliver appeared wearing his Confused Puppy face. It started another round of laughter that didn’t stop until he returned to his seat. They used the magic trick three more times before they finally gave up, their giggles having evolved to howling laughter.

As Felicity wiped the tears from her eyes, she turned to Thea. The younger girl’s eyes were bright and shining. She radiated happiness, and her mood was just as infectious as her laugh. Felicity couldn’t help but think she had just made a new friend in Thea Queen.

“Thea,” Felicity said, moving slightly to the right, “would you like to read Harry Potter with me?

***

Logan Airport was just as big as Felicity remembered it, and it looked just as impressive buried under a foot of snow. They arrived just after four in the afternoon, though the sky was dark with clouds. East Coast winters were almost always cold and dreary. Coupled with early sunsets, the sky was already turning black. Certainly not the most picturesque view to start off their trip.

They waited for the Dearden party to pick them up in baggage claim, surrounded by stranded passengers. Many flights had been delayed or grounded due to storms all around the greater Boston area. No planes were cleared for takeoff, and other arriving flights were being diverted to other airports. The possibility of another large snowfall for that evening was high. People wanted out of the airport as soon as possible to avoid being trapped. Those who couldn’t find any accommodations were squatting where they could, trying to get as comfortable as they could be to spend the night in the airport.

“Where is she,” Oliver said as he paced. He hadn’t stopped moving since they got to baggage claim. Felicity couldn’t blame him. The seating area must have felt like a cage for him, surrounded by people he didn’t know in a place he wasn’t familiar with. He was probably fighting with himself to stay with them and not canvas the terminal just for something to do. Their belongings were all accounted for and they were simply waiting for the mysterious Marissa.

Felicity stood up and blocked his path, almost falling over when he bumped into her. She let out a surprised yelp and fell back, but Oliver reacted faster, wrapping one arm around her waist and grabbing hold of her arm with the other. She was hauled forward until she hit his chest, letting out another squeak. He trapped her against him until she regained her balance. She made the mistake of looking into his eyes, he so very very blue and expressive eyes that were asking her way too many questions. _Are you ok? Did I hurt you? Please tell me I didn’t hurt you. Please don’t make me let go._

“Hi,” she said, proud that her voice sounded as strong as it did.

“Hi,” Olive said, a little bit lower than normal. Which she decided had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she was still pressed to his very firm, very warm chest.

She pushed against his chest to separate them and he let go of her waist. She immediately missed the warm of his arm around her, but he stayed in her bubble. It almost seemed like he was trying to keep himself grounded by being near her. Felicity took that as a sign and reached out to him, laying her hand on his arm. He ducked his head and closed eyes, breathing out heavily.

“Hey,” she said, “what has you so spooked? And don’t say-”

“It’s nothing.”

“-nothing.” She squeezed his arm once. “Oliver. The truth. Please.”

“It’s just that,” he paused and sighed, “Marissa is…perceptive. She was always able to see through me, even when I didn’t know what I wanted myself.”

“So... what? You’re afraid that she’ll-,” Felicity paused, running through the possible pitfalls in her mind, “you’re worried that she’ll know you’re the Arrow?”

“What? No. No I’m worried that she’ll- “

“She’ll figure out another one of your secrets?”

He looked her in the eye and said, “Something like that.”

A voice called out to them from the end of the baggage claim and they all turned to find. A woman walked towards them, moving with a grace and authority that reminded Felicity of Moira. The woman had blond hair past her shoulders with bangs that were swept to the side just so. She wore a simple blue dress with three quarter sleeves and red heels. The closer she got, the more she resembled the Queens, right down to the blue eyes and mole below her mouth. Felicity thought she looked like a cross between Julianne Moore and Moira Queen. Beautiful and intimidating.

Perfect.

Thea squealed and run flat out toward the mystery woman, colliding with her and wrapping her arms around the stranger’s neck. She put her arms around Thea’s waist and held her tight, swaying from side to side. They pulled apart and Felicity swore their smiles were so bright they could have blinded her.

“Thea, sweetie how are you? Oh, look at you! You’ve gotten even prettier! If I’m not careful, you’ll be prettier than me soon!” The newcomer’s voice was clear and strong, with just a hint of a Southern twang.

“That already happened Aunt Marissa. I just need your closet, then you’ll never win,” Thea said, chuckling as she pulled away.

Marissa Dearden laughed and shook her head.

“Thea, you sweet, sweet girl. We both know I could still out-shop you at 70.”

“I’ve improved since the last time we met. You’d better be ready for a real fight.”

Marissa's smile grew even wider at her words. “I accept your challenge. Our usual wager?”

“Double or nothing.”

“Ambitious.”

“I’m confident this year.”

Moira chose that moment to interrupt, placing a hand on Thea’s shoulder and leaned toward Marissa for a one-armed hug. Her sister gave her a scathing look.

“Moira, if this is your idea of a hug, then we need to re educate you. Prison obviously skewed your ideas about affection. Now please try again,” she said, the anger flipping into weariness and anxiety in a flash, “’I’ve missed you.”

Moira blinked a few times, and to Felicity’s utter surprise, threw her arms around Marissa, hugging her tightly. Marissa embraced her just as tightly, her eyes squeezed shut as they held each other. Two long separated siblings were finally together again. After the last year and a half, Felicity could see how much this moment meant to them. It made them both seem normal. No Queen or Dearden name to color the moment, no money or political connections playing into their interactions; just two sisters who loved each other reunited after a long and trying time.

Moira pulled back first, and the look of happiness on her face made Felicity smile. It was like a giant burden had been lifted from her shoulders, like she was finally free. Years dropped off of her and she seemed almost carefree.

“I missed you too, Mar. I’m so glad that you’re here.”

“That’s what sisters are for Mo.”

“Please don’t call me that. I’m not eight anymore.”

“Well, I’ll always be Mar to you,” Marissa said. She smiled wide, “and you will always be Mo to me.”

Suddenly Marissa stopped and looked in Felicity’s direction. She zeroed in on something over her left shoulder, eyes wide and a slightly shocked look on her face. Felicity looked over her shoulder and saw Oliver still standing _very_ close to her, his left side almost touching the right side of her back. He was smiling, the same smile that Moira wore. His dimples were showing, and his eyes were alight with joy. It was an absolutely devastating look, one that made her feel gooey inside.

Marissa left Moira and Thea and walked slowly toward Oliver. Felicity stepped aside to let her pass but Oliver moved slightly to his left, keeping the distance between them minimal. Marissa didn’t miss the movement, but she stayed on course and came to stand directly in front of Oliver. He surprised everyone by reaching out to hug her, wrapping his arms around her. Marissa’s eyes went wide and she froze for a second, but she recovered quickly and hugged him back tightly.

“Oh, Oliver. Welcome home,” she said.

“Thanks Aunt Marissa. It’s…it’s been a long time coming.”

Felicity felt that warm gooey feeling again when Oliver spoke. His voice was soft and a little choked. He wasn’t trying to hide behind the playboy persona or the CEO mask. He was comfortable enough now that he was willing to just be himself. Not Ollie like he used to be, but Oliver as he was now. She felt proud of him in that moment, and she hoped they all understood just how much this moment meant. Marissa certainly understood, because she pulled back to look him over again, like she was seeing him for the first time. Whatever she saw, she liked because her face lit up and her smile reached her eyes. She patted his chest and tilted her head.

“So, to what do I owe the pleasure of the new and improved Oliver Queen? Because I’m sorry darling, but this you is so much better than the old you. Whoever or whatever did this deserves a medal.”

Felicity chuckled at that, thinking about everything that had happened to Oliver as the Hood and then what he had told them about Lian Yu. The sum of those things was a truly terrible strings of events that would have broken most people. Oliver had come out of it a better man with a sense of justice and a fierce desire to protect others. So yes, it did make him better, but the monsters and tragedies that caused it wouldn’t be considered medal worthy.

She realized what she was doing and tried to cover the laugh with a cough, but Marissa had already heard it. Oliver turned to her as well. Their eyes met and the laughter she saw there made her smile. That made him smile at her with _her_ smile and when he spoke he used _her_ voice.

“Aunt Marissa, this is Felicity Smoak. My date for the wedding,” he said, and as much as she wished it wouldn’t, her stomach stilled flipped when he said ‘date’. He paused and the look in his eyes changed. They suddenly filled with emotions that were much stronger than happiness, something more _,_ something she wasn’t really ready to see _._ He dropped his voice low as he continued, “And if you’re looking for someone to thank, then she deserves the bulk of it.”

Marissa walked up to her and extended her hand. Felicity accepted it on auto pilot and was surprised by the strong grip and small squeeze that accompanied it. Marissa looked her up and down, then locked eyes with her. Felicity felt unnerved but she refused to look away. She was intimidated, oh yes she was, but she would not let it show. Marissa smiled at her, a calculating look in her eye. She looked like Moira had in Oliver’s office that night all those weeks ago when she told Felicity she had underestimated her. Marissa was taking a good hard look at her and coming to the conclusion that there was more to her than she first thought. And that was terrifying.

“It’s very nice to meet you Felicity Smoak,” she said, though it sounded like she was purring. “I have a feeling you and I are going to get to know each other _very_ well this week.”

Oh frack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Marissa is the springboard into the unknown that is the Dearden family. Get ready readers, because the fun starts soon!


	5. Keeping Up With The Deardens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity arrive in Chatham, and both find that the place is full of surprises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Welcome back to Fluffy! If you're new, then hello and thank you for taking the time to read this story! If you're returning, welcome back!  
> We've been stunned by all the support this story has gotten. Thank you to everyone who like, commented or even just read the story! We have more goodness in store, so stay tuned!
> 
> As always, thank you to my internet family, @nvwhovian and @ the-silverforked-sky, for their love and support. You two are the best.

 

The drive to Chatham was dangerous, full of landmines and traps that were both obvious and subtle. Every single thing Felicity said had to run through at least five brain to mouth filters to ensure that she didn’t drop an innuendo in front of everyone. The other passengers didn’t seem to notice. Only Oliver, who was seated right next to her in the back of the SUV, really understood what she was doing, how hard she was trying. His hand found her knee and he rubbed soothing circles into her skin. It helped her immensely by changing her focus to where he touched her, though after about ten seconds it became difficult to notice anything but that. Oliver’s hand stopped moving, but it didn’t leave her knee. His hand was incredibly warm, almost hot. Oddly enough, the warmth helped to steady her nerves.

The buildings grew smaller and sparser the further they drove. This part of Massachusetts was very scenic, even in the winter. The snow covered hills seemed to roll on forever until they hit a tree line and disappear. There was a light snow falling as they travelled, a far cry from the expected snowfall near the airport. They passed a few cars, but otherwise they had the road to themselves. Salt trucks had already made several trips down the highway, turning the snow into dirty slush. It slowed their progress, but it also gave Felicity some time to relax. She fell into memories of her days at MIT when classes would end, before she became a hacktivist, before Cooper went off the rails. Back then, they would come out here on break and yell at all the rich snobs from the top of a snow drift, or have snowball fights in the small valleys made by the snow banks. Once, they tried to build an igloo but she got stuck inside when they poured cold water over it to freeze the structure. She had to chisel a hole out of the ceiling with a pocket knife. The day was long over by the time she broke through, and the sky opened up to a bright moon and fields of stars. She held onto that view even now because it reminded her of a simpler, happier time in her life.

“Felicity.”

Oliver’s soft voice cut through her reverie, bringing her back to the present and the still very dangerous vehicle.

“Hey,” he said, squeezing her knee, “where did you go?”

“Huh? I didn’t go anywhere. What do you mean? I can’t go anywhere; I’m still wearing my seatbelt.”

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah just – “she pointed to her temple, “things, up here. A lot of…thoughts.”

“If this is about the wedding, I want you to know that everything is going to be fine.”      

Felicity chuckled quietly to herself and looked Oliver in the eye.

“Oliver, I agreed to come here as your date-,” she took a second to calm the suddenly rising sense of panic and euphoria that word caused, “because I wanted to. I am fully aware of what could and probably will happen. I’m used to it. There are a lot of rumors about our relationship already, and while this doesn’t help, I still agreed to do this of my own free will. I appreciate you saying that you’ll protect my honor, but I don’t need you to. To quote Megara, ‘I am a damsel. I am in distress. I can handle it.’ Yep. I can definitely handle it.” She squared her shoulders and looked straight ahead, accidentally making eye contact with Marissa through the rearview mirror. The older woman smiled at her, and just like that, Felicity’s confidence disappeared. “Just please don’t leave me alone with your Aunt Marissa. Or your mother. Or Thea. Actually, just don’t leave me alone.”

Felicity looked back at Oliver and almost did a double take. His eyes were slightly darker than normal, and he was looking at her in a way that could she could only describe as deeply possessive. He blinked, and the moment was gone. He wore a lopsided grin, one that showed off a dimple in his right cheek.

“Felicity, I don’t intend to leave you alone for a second.”

“Good, because I would be a little lost without you,” she said with a smile.

“I would be more than a little lost without you,” he said. His voice was heavy with unspoken things. Felicity tried to respond but the weight of his gaze trapped her, forcing her to look only at him. For a brief moment, she wasn’t in the car with Oliver’s family on her way to a wedding. She was alone with him in the Foundry, sitting at her desk with him over her shoulder. That was their space, their own little world and she felt like she was there in it. Then a throat cleared from the front and she had to turn away. She ducked her head sheepishly and tried to compose herself. Oliver huffed and turned to stare out the window. If she didn’t know better, she would think he was annoyed that she turned away.

When they arrived at their destination, doors opened and the car emptied out onto a completely clear blacktop surrounded by picturesque fields of snow surrounding a home that rivaled the Queen Mansion. The three story contemporary brick mansion sat on a peninsula that jutted out into Atlantic Ocean, close enough to afford an uninterrupted view of the sea. Large banks of windows were everywhere, making the house seem even larger, though she was unable to see inside. She ran through a mental checklist of the property. There had been ample time to research it before they came. An acre of land separated the house from the shore, with meandering walkways leading down to a private dock and boathouse. The pathways lead around to a large covered outdoor seating area and a gazebo to the left. A large pool, currently covered, was situated to the left of the gazebo. Beyond that, Felicity could see several other structures, but they were obscured by the enormous house in front of them.

Felicity took in the sights around her in awe. Even after spending so much time with Oliver, seeing such obvious wealth was still astonishing. Oliver and the rest of the party seemed completely unaffected, which made sense. This was just another house to them. They were oblivious to the wait staff that came to take their bags, everyone except Marissa, who directed the porters. Suddenly a patch of red came into view and Felicity jumped in surprise.

“Roy?”

Roy Harper stood near the door, boxed in by a security detail. He looked no worse for wear, but seemed incredibly uncomfortable. Thea saw him and ran straight for him, throwing herself into his arms. He was surprised for a moment, but recovered quickly and returned her hug with just as much force. Thea pulled back from him, but neither of them let go. Suddenly Thea’s face clouded over and she jumped back from him and crossed her arms. She flipped from happy to pissed to so fast it was actually impressive.

“I thought you said you weren’t coming.”

Roy sighed. Apparently this was a fight they had already had too many times. He walked away from the bodyguards and lead Thea over to stand with Felicity and Oliver.

“I said I wouldn’t come with you on the plane. That was it.”

“Why? Are you embarrassed to be seen with me or something?”

“I should be asking you that question. But no, that’s not it.” Roy rubbed the back of his neck, looking ashamed. He lowered his voice and spoke again. “I don’t have much going for me Thea. I don’t have an education, I needed someone else to get me a job. I barely make enough money to live on. Then you ask me to go with you to a wedding full of people with just as much money and privilege as your family.” He huffed and shook his head. “They wouldn’t even let me through the front door. I showed them the copy of the invitation you sent me. I gave them my name and they found it on the guest list, along with that stupid headshot you said I had to send. I still couldn’t get in.”

“That’s why you should have come with us. Why is that so bad?”

“Because I can make my own way. I don’t want a hand out. I don’t want someone to do something for me when I can do it myself.”

Thea softened a little, her stance becoming less combative, but her tone didn’t change.

“You don’t need to prove anything to me. Stop being stupid and just let me help you.”

“I’m not doing it for you,” Roy said through gritted teeth, “I’m doing this for me. I want to prove it was ok I lived. The Arrow saved my life. I have to make that mean something, and it starts with not taking something for free when I can make my own way.”

They stared each other down for a few more seconds, the air so thick that Felicity was sure she saw electricity crackling between them. Finally, Thea sighed and stepped toward him, wrapping her arms around Roy’s neck. He responded and whispered “I’m sorry” into her hair. The small moment was great to witness. It made Felicity’s heart swell and she couldn’t help but smile. The young couple in front of her had been through a lot individually, but together they were starting to move forward.  Roy’s words registered with Felicity  on a certain level, the need to show people that you were more than just your background. She empathized with it and hoped that he continued to hold his head high. Then the first part of the conversation caught up with her.

“Wait, we needed to send headshots?”

Felicity looked up at Oliver and felt a small flutter of panic.

“You didn’t tell me we need to send headshots. Why do we need to send headshots?”

Oliver sighed. Marissa walked over to them and put her hand on Felicity’s shoulder.

“My husband’s head of security insisted that we make guests provide a photograph so our detail could learn both names and faces. It was just a precaution dear. Nothing more.”

Marissa walked over to Roy, who now stood hand in hand with Thea. She gave him a once over, sizing him up and trying to break him. He held his head up, meeting her gaze. She saw how proud Thea looked at that moment, though the white knuckle grip Roy had on her hand must have hurt. Marissa met his stare for a moment then smiled. She extended her hand and Roy took it and she knew he was surprised by her grip.

“Marissa Dearden-Bishop. It is very nice to finally meet you Mr. Harper. Thea hasn’t told me too much about you. I hope we can rectify that this week.”

Roy gulped and nodded, getting out a choked “Yes, ma’am,” before dropping his head and shoving both hands into his pockets. Marissa laughed and linked her arms through one of Roy’s. Thea immediately followed suit, and together they dragged him toward the house. Felicity listened to Marissa talk to Thea about Roy’s jawline and cringed a little at the word “scrumptious.” Roy whipped his head around and gave her and Oliver a pleading look, begging for help. They could only watch as he was hauled into the house, disappearing into the gaping maw of the mansion.

          ***

The day passed far too quickly for Felicity, who was beginning to feel overwhelmed by her surroundings. The interior of the mansion was contemporary, so it wasn’t quite as intimidating as Queen Manor. It still oozed with money though, and she couldn’t help but feel out of place. Even the ‘casual dinner’ Marissa had told her about turned out to be more of a cocktail party than a dinner. So, she stood near the bar in the green dress Oliver had picked for her and her hair back in a ponytail, feeling incredibly judged by rest of the Dearden clan.

They walked around with their noses in the air and remained aloof, even amongst themselves. They jockeyed for position inside of the proceedings, comparing gifts and knowledge of the bride and groom. Some tried to tie themselves to Marissa, but they were immediately chastised by the woman in question.  The only bright spot was Marissa, who flitted from group to group, keeping the peace and derailing alliances with ease. She always stopped to chat with Moira, even if it was just to make a joke, before moving to the next group. It was impressive to watch her play the room and show the family that Moira had her full and unconditional support. Felicity had taken a moment to gather info on Marissa while she was being ignored and what she had found made her gasp.

Marissa Dearden-Bishop was a businesswoman, philanthropist, socialite and author. She owned many different businesses under the umbrella of The Bishop Group, including everything from domestic oil to computer processors. She donated large sums of money every six months to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Doctors Without Borders and other charitable foundations. She was a social activist and a large proponent STEM education. She was a force to be reckoned with.

And she had her eye on Felicity.

“That lady is scary.”

Felicity jumped a little at the sound of Roy’s voice but recovered quickly. He looked uncomfortable in his black suit. He pulled at his tie, which matched the color of his hoodie. That must have been one of Thea’s touches.

“Yes,” Felicity said, “yes she is.”

“All she did was ask me questions. She wasn’t rude or judgmental about my life. She just kept looking at me like everything I had to say mattered.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Not when it feels like she’s a scarier version of Mrs. Queen.”

Felicity could picture it so clearly; Marissa sitting in front of Roy, logs crossed, back straight, hands in her lap, eyes narrowed slightly as she focused on Roy. She shivered. Roy was right. That sounded frightening.

“Where’s Oliver?”

Felicity sighed. “He got dragged away by Marissa and Mrs. Queen. He knew going in that he had to try and reestablish his mother’s credibility with the Deardens. So by spending time glad handing people with the two of them, he establishes himself as a part of the hierarchy and helps his mother.”

“Not bad, young lady. Mar was right about you.”

Felicity looked to her right and saw the newcomer. He was an older man with salt and pepper hair, tall and built, but not the same way Oliver was. He looked almost as uncomfortable in his three-piece suit as Roy did, though he hid it better. He extended his hand to her.

“Travis Bishop, Mar’s husband and Chairman of The Bishop Group,” he said with a smile. His Texas twang colored his voice, making him seem much more open and friendly.

“Felicity Smoak, Oliver Queen’s Executive Assistant. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bishop.”

“Travis, please. I can’t stand on ceremony with a pretty lady. Just doesn’t feel right.”

Travis shook her hand twice and let go, though Felicity could still feel the callouses and rough skin against her. Travis Bishop was a man of the land, someone who had worked hard his whole life. His smile was warm and honest. Felicity liked him almost immediately.

“Well, Travis, this is a very lovely house,” Felicity said.

“Thank you, but it’s not ours. Our boy Elton bought it, with some help from us of course. But the deed is in his name. Mar saw to that.”

“Wait, this is the groom’s house? You all don’t live here?”

“No darlin’, we don’t. Mar and I live back on a ranch outside of Austin. Pretty place, y’all should come see it. Not a lot around, but the sunset is somethin’ to see.”

“Uh huh. So where is Elton? I never got the chance to introduce myself and I feel rude being in his home as a guest at his own wedding. Wow, that sounds pretty bad.”

“Well, Miss Felicity, he is right over there. See where Mar and Moira are? Elton is standing to their left. The young lady on his arm is his bride to be, Karly Farrish.”

Felicity looked to the middle of the room and saw the group in question. Elton stood by his mother. He had his father’s large features, but not his stature. He was rail thin, but not unhealthy. He switched between scowling at Oliver, who stood on Elton’s left, and scowling at Karly. She was pretty in a stereotypical way; long legs, small waist, long blonde hair and a bright smile. She seemed enthralled by everything Oliver had to say and Felicity could tell it was making him uncomfortable.

“Why is the lady getting married making goo-goo eyes at Oliver?”

“Those three were all at Princeton together, before Oliver left. That girl always had a crush on him,” Travis said. “My boy always hated him for that. And it looks like nothing’s really changed. Well, nothing except Oliver. Karly’s probably had a little too much of the sauce and, oh that’s not good.”

Felicity didn’t hear the last part of Travis’ statement. Karly had put her arm though Oliver’s and she was practically petting him. Felicity’s feet were moving before she even realized it, spurred forward by a small flame burning in her gut. Oliver was her date, and some random girl about to get married was _not_ going to touch him like that.

Oliver must have felt her coming, because he turned to look at her. The moment they made eye contact the rest of the party seemed to fall away. He moved toward her, completely ignoring Karly, much to Felicity’s delight. He met her in the middle of the room and Felicity immediately put her hand on his arm. He surprised her by putting his hands on her waist and pulling her just a little closer. They stood there in each other’s space for a moment,just being. Felicity took a deep breath and relaxed. She smiled at Oliver, who gave her a small smile in return.

“Where have you been,” she asked. There was no accusation in her voice, just curiosity.

“Parading myself around with my mother and my aunt. Aunt Marissa is the kingmaker of the family now. I found that out right away. And now Mom and I are in favor with the entire family. I’m sorry. I said I wouldn’t leave you alone and the first thing I do is abandon you. It won’t happen again.”

“Thank you. You are forgiven. So now, maybe you can spend a little time with me? Not that I want to stop you from helping your family,” she said and her hand migrated from his arm to his chest. “I just was hoping that maybe you could save me from being stuck over on the wall.  Granted I had a nice conversation with Travis about things. Did you know he and your aunt live outside of Austin? He said that we should visit them sometime and that the sunsets were like nothing else.”

Oliver’s smile grew larger and he chuckled. Felicity realized what she had implied and tried to backtrack.

“Not that we have to do that or even should do that. After all, that is not business related at all and we can’t really do anything non-business related, even though I guess we already do. But wouldn’t crime fighting be considered a business? People say ‘in the crime fighting business’ all the time so it should be totally fine. But Arrow business has nothing to do with non-business business so- “

“ _Fe-li-ci-ty.”_

“Hm?”

“Breathe.”      

“Yeah,” she said taking a deep breath and fighting to stay calm.

“And yes, I am all yours.”

_Damn right you are. I’m your date._

Oliver’s smile dropped. Suddenly the air felt heavy around her. She could feel Oliver’s heartbeat beneath her hand and she felt his hands squeeze her sides. The look in his eyes was the same one from this morning, a look of longing and possessiveness and something more. It pulled her in until all she could see was him. She felt herself slowly drowning in that feeling, yet she wanted more. She wanted-

“Felicity darling, there you are! Travis told me what a wonderful time he had speaking to you. I do hope he didn’t bore you to death talking about the ranch. He loves that place so much. It really is beautiful though. The sunsets are fabulous.”

Marissa’s voice broke through the haze that had settled on them, making Felicity very aware of just how close she was to Oliver’s face, specifically his lips. Her eyes dropped to his mouth for a second, and she felt heat rise in her cheeks. She tried to pull away in embarrassment, but Oliver simply shifted and wrapped his arm around her, securing her against him, her hand still on his chest.

“We will definitely take you up on your offer Aunt Marissa, but maybe another time. Queen Consolidated is very busy at the moment.”

Moira and Marissa both stood next to Felicity and they both gave her the same knowing look. It was impressive and terrifying.

“Ollie! There you are!”

Karly sauntered up to them and did a double take when she saw Felicity.

“Ollie, who’s the girl? Aren’t you gunna introduce me?”

“I’m Felicity Smoak. It’s very nice to meet you Ms. Farrish. Oh, I’m sorry. You’re getting married soon. So does that make it _Mrs._ Farrish or _Mrs._ Bishop?”

Karly’s scowl rivaled Elton’s, who had appeared at her side. Both looked hurt and annoyed. They fit each other quite nicely.

“Karly, Felicity is the young woman I told you about earlier,” Moira said. “You remember don’t you? The one who graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Master’s Degree in Computer Science and Cybersecurity at the age of 19.”

“The same woman who got a job in a highly competitive, male dominated field at one of the most prestigious technology companies in the United States solely on her own merits. Her career path is one to be admired.”

“It’s very nice to meet you Felicity,” she said, though her tone said otherwise.

“Oliver, you and Felicity will need to leave soon if you want to make it to your lodging.”  

“We aren’t staying here?” Felicity asked.

“No darling, Thea told me all about Oliver’s arrangements.”

“What arrangements Mom?”

“Thea told me that you rented The Brass Key.  The owners have already stocked necessities for the week and they’ve prepared the Presidential Suite for you both. You will have the entire property to yourselves. Of course, you won’t be able to access any of the other rooms as the owners won’t be there, but that means there won’t be anyone there to disturb you. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Marissa and Moira both gave Felicity and Oliver a smile. Felicity’s jaw felt like it was on the floor, and Oliver’s jaw was so tight she thought he might pop it. She knew they were both thinking the same thing.

They were going to kill Thea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What?! Oliver and Felicity alone at a Bed and Breakfast! In a single room? That sounds so...cliche. 
> 
> Good. That's the point. Tropes incoming people! Prepare yourselves!!
> 
> As always, please let me know you think! And if you like the story, please feel free to share it!


	6. Power Couples

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity get some time alone, and Oliver makes a decision that will change everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely readers! I apologize for my absence, but real life beckoned. But we are back and hopefully on track! We have been floored by your response to this story and we want to thank you all for sticking with it! You guys are the best!
> 
> Massive thanks to Becky, Sim, and Em, my internet family and team of betas/friends. This story does not exist without them.

 

 

The Range Rover hummed beneath Oliver as he and Felicity drove toward their hotel. They were thirty minutes out from Chatham and still hadn’t spoken. He understood. Felicity had made their hotel reservations herself, so when Marissa had said _all_ of the hotels on the Cape were full or closed, she knew they were being set up. It also meant that whatever plan Thea had come up with, his aunt had been in on it. So had his mother for that matter, if her glowing endorsement of The Brass Key was any indication.

Three of the most powerful women he knew were conspiring to put him with Felicity. He couldn’t figure out why. He wasn’t that obvious was he? On cue, his brain conjured up what sounded like Thea snorting at him. He could almost feel his mother’s “I know you’re lying” look on his back. And he could imagine Marissa’s disappointed head tilt. All of them together just made him tired, tired enough to finally admit it to himself.

He was falling for Felicity Smoak. Hell, he had already fallen for her.

The drive to Provincetown let him drift back to a warm, bright blue cubicle, a broken laptop, and red pen. The light had framed her in a warm glow, and she looked adorable with the pen in her mouth, not a care in the world. She hadn’t tried to treat him like he was broken. She saw him as a person, someone who you could look in the eye and have a normal conversation with. He became addicted to that feeling after only a couple of visits. She trusted him, even when he had done nothing but lie to her, and when he had taken a leap of faith and trusted her, she had saved his life. Felicity and Diggle had shown him that he could do more good for the city by going beyond The List. He could make a difference in big and small ways, be a man and a hero that people could be proud of.

He looked over at her and couldn’t hold back a smile. She had fallen asleep fifteen minutes into the trip. Her glasses were skewed from leaning into the seat belt and her mouth was open slightly. She was a picture of contentment. She felt safe enough with him to fall asleep and not be afraid. That made him want to puff his chest out a little. She knew he would never let anything happen to her.

Provincetown came into view thirty minutes later, though the town was almost completely dark. Street lights illuminated the snow along the edges of the road and sidewalks, but the house and shop windows were all dark. Only one building gave off any light. It sat near the water toward the far edge of town. A three story building with an inner courtyard, The Brass Key looked like a giant cottage. It was homey, even from the outside and the snow surrounding it made the scene into something out of a postcard as warm light filtered through the windows, making the whole thing seem like something out of a Christmas movie.

Oliver got out and began pulling their bags from the car. He knew where the room was thanks to his mother’s comment about how much he and Felicity would enjoy it. He climbed the stairs, suitcases in tow, and found the appropriate door. An envelope addressed to him was taped to the door. He opened it and found a room key and simple thank you card with a handwritten message.

          

_Mr. Queen,_

_Thank you for choosing our little home for yourself and your partner over the next week. Ms. Queen was kind enough to inform me of your preferences and need for privacy, so, there are no other guests on the property aside from yourselves. Mrs. Queen and Mrs. Dearden-Bishop were both quite adamant that this remain secret, so to protect you, your reservations  booked under  Mr. and Mrs. Charles Walker._

           _The suite has been recently renovated, so there are some design choices that may not agree with you. I apologize if that is the case, but Ms. Queen assured me that as long as you only had one bed, everything else would be fine. There is a key on the desk that will allow you access to the main kitchen area should you require it._

_My wife and I will be away from the property, but should you require anything urgent, we can be reached at the number below._

_Thank you again, and welcome to Provincetown._

_Warm Regards,_

            _Eamon and Caroline Curran_

 

One bed. They only had one bed. Thea had specifically requested that there only be one bed. He was going to kill her.

“Sooooo…what did Thea tell them about us, exactly?”

Oliver tensed for just a second and turned. Felicity stood next to him, reading the note over his shoulder. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, giving her a slightly rumpled look. That, coupled with the sleep laden voice she used, made Oliver think about what it would be like to wake up next to her in his bed, being able to kiss her and touch her, roll over on top of her and make her-

He shook his head to clear the image away and focused on the here and now.

“I’ll take the floor and you can have the bed since there is only one.”

“Oliver, that’s sweet, but I’m not making you sleep on the floor.”

“I’ve slept in worse places.”

“Exactly,” she said. She placed her hand on his arm and pulled slightly to make him face her. “You of all people should be allowed to sleep in a comfortable place. We can share the bed. We’re adults. We will be fine. I’ll even build a little pillow wall between us if it will help.” With that, she took the key and opened the door, pushing into the room.

“We’re adults. We can do this. We’ll be fine,” Oliver whispered to himself.

He almost believed it.

***

Oliver woke slowly, surrounded by an intoxicating warmth. It soaked into him, seeping down through his skin into his bones. The feeling was so calming that he almost fell asleep again. He tried to place the sensation, but it was so unfamiliar that he couldn’t figure it out. He felt calm but lethargic, unburdened by his worries and insecurities.

Safe. He felt _safe_ . He hadn’t felt safe since he left with his dad on _The Queen’s Gambit._

The realization hit him like a truck and stole his breath. He almost gave in to the contentment. but the need to figure what made him feel this way was overwhelming.  Oliver pried his eyes open and took in the unfamiliar room. It was an open floor plan, the with warm yellow walls and a white angled ceiling. Banks of windows showed the water on the beach in Provincetown, a town at the end of Cape Cod. The bed was in the center of the room, with a half wall behind them separating the large tiled bathroom from the rest of the room. A giant glass enclosed shower took up most of the space and a standalone tub sat beneath another window. A small dining nook was on the right near the front door, next to a bay window that afforded them another view of the town and the water. A second door near the entrance led out to an open balcony with a small fire pit and lounge chairs. He processed the information as it came back to him, but was interrupted by a shimmering waterfall of blonde hair.

Felicity lay next to him, her sleep shirt hanging off of her shoulder. It was one of his old gray training shirt from the Foundry, one of several clothings items he lost after leaving them in the Foundry. Her hair fell over her shoulder and obscured most of his view. But it was the feeling beneath his hand Oliver was really concerned with. He felt warm, silky smooth skin beneath his palm. He had his arm wrapped around her and his hand on her stomach. She was tantalizingly close to his chest, her breathing almost in sync with his.

Oliver went from half sleep to fully awake instantly, but he didn’t move. He couldn’t. Felicity was right there next to him, almost wrapped up in his arms. It would be so easy to just give in to temptation and pull her to him, put both arms around her and bury his nose in her hair. She smelled like lavender, nice but not overpowering. He tried his best not to move, slowly mapping out the way the morning sun made her glow and the feel of her skin. He may never get another moment like this, so he burned it into his memory, a secret for him and him alone.

Felicity mumbled something and shifted backwards, pressing her back against his chest and putting her hand on his. Oliver froze, not trusting himself to breathe. He tried to keep himself in check, but then Felicity’s fingers laced themselves through his and his heart skipped a beat. That single movement broke his control a little, and he gave into one of his urges. He pulled her even closer to him, pressing himself against her and squeezing her hand a little as he put his nose in her hair. Felicity let out a small sigh, one he swore sounded happy. The sound made Oliver shiver, goosebumps covering his skin.

He had dreamed about this a few times. Waking up next to Felicity, drunk on the idea that he had somehow made her happy. Him, the broken man, with more blood on his hands than he ever wanted to admit, who played hero to assuage his own guilt. In those dreams, they had been like this; two normal people waking up together and taking a moment to enjoy it. Now it was actually happening.

_God, please don’t let this be a dream too._

_Of course it’s a dream. If it were real, you would have fucked it up already._

Oliver shook his head a little to clear away that dark voice in his mind, and his lips gently grazed the back of her neck. The action sent a jolt of electricity through him, making him hyper aware of Felicity. She shifted slightly, turning so she could face him. Her eyes were still closed as she whispered.

“Good morning,” she said, her voice rough from sleep.

“Good morning,” Oliver whispered. Before he could let his better judgement stop him, he kissed her temple. It was quick and light, but it felt incredibly heavy. Oliver held his breath, waiting for Felicity’s reaction. She gave another happy little sigh and a slow smile crept across her face. Oliver’s reaction mirrored hers. She opened her eyes and seemed dazed for a moment.

“Oliver,” she said, though it came out as a question. Suddenly her eyes popped open and she tensed in his arms. Oliver knew she was finally aware of their position. He watched the emotions flit over her face; surprise, confusion, doubt and even fear. He could almost see the walls come up around her and she moved away from him and out of the bed. She looked around the room, checking for escape routes, liked she wanted to run.

She wanted to run away from him.

“Um, I’m gonna use the bathroom and get ready in there.” The words came out in a rush, a babble at high speed. “I have some clothes in there already so I’ll just change in there. You can have the shower while I grab some things for the conference. I know you only need a few minutes anyway. Not that you don’t get clean because you do but you are a guy without a lot of hair you don’t need to do much and I have to do stuff and I’m gunna go.”

Felicity broke away from him and all but ran into the small bathroom off to the side. The door closed behind her with a bang. He heard the lock click and what he thought might have been a mumbled curse, but he couldn’t make it out.

Oliver fell back against the bed and put an arm over his eyes. He resisted the urge to hit or throw something, knowing that any kind of outburst would only make things worse. Why had he given in? Why couldn’t he just keep his feelings in check? He should have waited until they could talk about it. He would have told her that he had feelings for her, that she was special. He should have made sure he didn’t pressure her or try to force a decision on her. She was her own person with her own ideas and emotions. And he had tried to bowl right through them and do what he wanted. He was still acting like Ollie.

_Told you that you’d fuck it up if it was real._

Oliver grit his teeth and let out a deep breath. He stood and gathered his clothes from the suitcase in the corner. Today was going to be a long day.

***

The IBTC was being held in the ballroom of the Prudential building and the reception took place in the building’s restaurant on the 52nd floor. The tables had been removed and the space refitted for an evening party. It reminded Oliver of just about every party he had every attended at the Queen Mansion. A large open floor, surrounded by tables and groups standing around, making plans for future business ventures and trading personal favors. A string quartet was nestled in the corner and the large bar was almost completely obscured by the waiters running to and from with drinks. Oliver sighed. This night was almost as bad as he had imagined.

Felicity had barely spoken to him since she had locked herself in the bathroom this morning. She’s avoided making eye contact with him, kept at least a two feet of space between them, and even sent him texts instead of talking to him. Once they had made the hour long drive back to the Dearden estate from Provincetown she had disappeared with Thea, only reappearing when it was time to  leave for the conference keynote speech. She had been silent on the drive to Boston as well, though once they reached conference, she was in full Executive Assistant mode. She spoke in quick whispers, passing on pertinent information about all the people he interacted with, except the keynote speaker.

Ray Palmer.

Palmer made Oliver’s fists clench and blood start to boil. The man himself was alright; a Mensa level genius with multiple doctorates in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, a billionaire philanthropist who tried to make energy free for all people like a modern day Nikola Tesla, a handsome face with strong baritone voice and a brilliant smile. Felicity listened with rapt attention and a toothy smile on her face.

Oliver tried not to retch.

So he stood on his own next to the bar, watching as people mingled and danced all around him. Some groups looked into mergers or joint projects, some plotted the downfall of rival businesses, and some just stood around talking about things that shouldn’t be uttered, even behind closed doors. It felt like being back with his father, forced to attend events he hadn’t cared about, only now those people came to talk to him and not Robert Queen. The suspenders under his tuxedo jacket felt like they cutting into his shoulders and his bowtie felt like a noose. His skin itched under his shirt and his hand opened and closed into a fist. The world felt like it was trying to get under his skin, and it was working.

That and he couldn’t find Felicity in the crowd.

“You’re gonna break that glass if you grip it any harder.”

Tommy appeared on Oliver’s right side. Oliver looked down and saw he did have a white knuckle grip on his tumbler of scotch. It took a herculean effort, but he relaxed his grip on his drink, releasing a long breath. Tommy chuckled and shook his head.

“Dude, this is almost sad. Merlyn Global might as well not exist . No one will even come near me. Sorry if I’m ruining any possible business partnerships.”

“It’s fine.”

“Ollie, you know what you look like now right?”

“I know,” Oliver said and knocked back the rest of his drink. “I can’t really help it.”

“What did you do this time?”

“I…it’s complicated.”

“You woke up next to her, she didn’t realize it was you, then when she did she got the hell out of there.”

Oliver whipped his head around, a shocked look on his face.

“How did you-“

“Felicity told me,” he said, taking a long drink of his whiskey and smiled. “Ollie, I’m kidding. But, it’s good to know that I can just default to something embarrassing with you and hit the nail on the head. She’s probably just embarrassed. I’m sure she’ll be fine in a bit. Look, see? She is being the perfect Executive Assistant, mingling with the keynote speaker on your behalf.” Tommy came close and whispered, “If I didn’t know better, I’d say she actually _likes_ talking to Palmer. Which is crazy because that guy has the social acumen of a rock.”

The crowd appeared to part at Tommy’s words, revealing a very excited Felicity talking to Ray Palmer. The two of them were both speaking at a rapid fire pace, yet they seemed to be able to finished each other’s sentences or anticipate where the other was going. Every sentence seemed to end in a frantic nod or a large smile. They even looked like a great pair, Palmer in his tux with a long tie and Felicity in a long burgundy sheath dress with jeweled embellishments. Her hair was curled and swept over one shoulder. She wore contacts and it made her eyes seem even more blue than normal. Her smile seemed to have enchanted everyone in the group she stood with, including Ray, as they listened to her with rapt attention, though not all of them were looking at her face.

“Эти ублюдки лучше смотреть, куда они смотрят, или я собираюсь разорвать их. Фелисити разве 'некоторые кусок мяса для них, чтобы полюбоваться. Она красивая свет и заслуживает того, чтобы рассматриваться как таковые. Если они прикоснуться к ней, я убью их. _Она. Является. Мой.”_

The words came out as a growl, one very reminiscent of his days in the Bratva. Tommy actually took a step back from him. Oliver knew what he looked like right now, he could feel how hard his jaw was clenched and he kept fighting the urge to snarl, but he didn’t care. That was _his_ Felicity over there, being ogled like a piece of meat by those other men.

“Oliver,” Tommy said, still standing a foot away, “what the hell was that?”

“That, ma’ boy, was Russian. And very angry Russian at that. Haven’t heard a man growl like that since I pulled out of a deal with some Russian oil tycoons for drillin’ rights in the Caspian Sea.”

Travis appeared next to Tommy, and put an arm around him. “I’d recommend givin’ our boy here some space. He may turn ya’ to stone if he looks at ya’.”      

Tommy nodded quickly and decided not to press the issue. Oliver was grateful for that. He was very close to snapping, and Travis’ intervention saved him for a moment. However, when the man stepped in next to Oliver, he felt himself tense.

“Son,” he said, his voice warm and fatherly, “I know you don’t seem to think you can have that woman you’ve been starin’ at, but you’ll never get the chance if all you do is stare.”

Oliver turned to look at Travis. The man looked at Oliver like he understood exactly what he was feeling. They both turned to look out at the crowd and Felicity.

“When I first met Mar, she was a free spirit, not shackled to anyone or anythin’. She was beautiful, smart as a whip, and incredibly kind. She was the most wonderful and intimidatin’ woman I ever met.” He sighed. “But I had my head up my ass for so long that she left before I could tell her I loved her. I stood on a platform at Union Station and watched her leave so she could be with another man.”         

Oliver could understand that feeling. He was experiencing it at that moment.

“What did you do,” he asked.

Travis laughed to himself, a sad and self-deprecating sound.  “Nothin’. I stood there and watched the train leave, thinkin’ ‘bout all the things I should have said and done. Then she was behind me, yellin’ at me for not stoppin’ her and tellin’ me that I was a fool. A fool that she loved. So, I did the only thing I could think of.”       

“What?”

“I asked her to marry me.”

Oliver’s jaw dropped and he felt himself smile a little. Travis Bishop never half assed anything.

“Mar has a huge sweet tooth, so I used to carry candy in ma’ jacket pocket, just in case. I had a Ring Pop with me, so I pulled it out, unwrapped it, and got down on one knee. She laughed at me and asked if I thought that made up for it. I told her it may not, but if she wanted it, I’d give her the rest of ma’ life.” Travis turned to face Oliver fully. “I got lucky that the woman of ma’ dreams is as hard headed as I am. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Don’ wait.”

“Go get your girl, son.”

Oliver nodded, turned on his heel and headed straight for Felicity. The emotional walls he had put up around Felicity had been growing weaker and weaker since he had asked to be his date . Travis’ story broke through the last of the barriers Oliver had put around his feelings and gotten through to him. Felicity was everything he wanted and he was not going to let her get away. It was time to start taking steps, real steps, toward her. Having her here was the start; now he needed to follow through. He had acted on his feelings for her, but he had never told her how he felt. He had just assumed that she would reciprocate like any other girl from his past. But she wasn’t like those other girls and that was the whole point. He loved Felicity because of who she was.

He loved Felicity. The thought almost stopped him dead in his tracks. Was that really what this was? Did he really love her? This wasn’t something that he could say lightly, especially to Felicity. What if she pulled away from him like she had this morning? What if she ran?

He arrived at her side with those questions swirling around in his mind. When he placed his hand on her lower back, she leaned back into it and suddenly none of it mattered. She was right there next to him, feeling safe enough to let him catch her. And he would. He would be there to catch her every time. It was time to start showing that.

“Good evening gentleman,” he said, using his free hand to greet each member of the group. He made sure to stay close to Felicity, something that everyone except Palmer seemed to pick up on. Oliver turned and looked at Ray, making sure to grip his hand with just a little extra force.

“Oliver,” Ray said with a smile, “great to see you! I was just speaking to Felicity about the idea of clean, renewable energy. She said that Queen Consolidated was interested in trying to push clean energy and I would love to be a part of it. Your Executive Assistant-“

“Partner,” Oliver said.

“I’m sorry?”

“Felicity is my partner Ray. She is an asset to Queen Consolidated.  She helps me understand not just the business I run, but the best way to evolve it. I made her my EA because she is the smartest person I know, and honestly, I would be lost without her. Somedays I think she should be the CEO.”

The older men in the group looked shocked, almost to the point of sickness. Ray seemed intrigued but not surprised. He may have the social acumen of a rock, but at least he wasn’t a bigot. Felicity tensed against his hand, so Oliver let his thumb gently move up and down, trying his best to keep her relaxed. It seemed to work, he made sure to keep his eyes on Palmer.

“Well, then I would love to discuss a possible partnership with you and your…partner. Have you ever heard of a process called cogeneration?”

“You’re referring to the theory behind taking excess electricity used in large buildings and putting it back into a city’s power grid?”

Felicity looked up at him in surprise.

“How did you know that?”

“It was in your briefing two weeks ago,” Oliver said.

“But I thought you were talking to John the whole time.”

Oliver couldn’t help the little smile that spread across his face. “I always listen to what you have to say Felicity.”

Felicity gulped and her eyes widened. Oliver didn’t really understand why until he realized how close they were. He had wrapped his arm around her and his hand now sat on her hip.

“Tell you what Ray, I’ll have Felicity get in contact with you about this partnership. I think it could lead to great things in the future. Unfortunately, I have to steal Ms. Smoak for a few moments. Gentlemen.”

Oliver inclined his head to the other men in the group and led a still gaping Felicity away from them. She kept staring at him, her face full of confusion and possibly a little pride. Oliver tried not to puff out his chest as he led her toward the dance floor, but he couldn’t help it. Knowing Felicity was proud of him made him want to pump his fist and shout.

The band in the corner began to play again, and Oliver was struck by the urge to ask Felicity to dance. He quashed it on instinct, knowing that this was not an appropriate place for his feelings to show.

_Screw propriety. She’s here with you now. Don’t let some slimy bastard try to take her away from you. Remember what Travis said? Don’t make the same mistakes? Well that includes not taking every chance you can to be with her._

“Dance with me,” he said.

“Huh?”

“Felicity, dance with me,” Oliver said, leading them to the dance floor before she could get away from him. He tugged her to the middle of the dance floor, in complete view of everyone at the reception. He took her hand and set his other hand on her hip, pulling her closer to him than she expected.

“Oliver,” she whispered, her voice colored with surprise and concern, “everyone is staring at us.”

“Let them.”

“But-“

“ _Fe-li-ci-ty,”_ he said, letting her name roll of his tongue the way he did when they were alone. It made her shiver just a tiny bit, not enough to be seen. But he felt the tremor go through her spine. He pulled her closer in response. Her head now rested against her shoulder and his fingers laced through hers. She turned to look up at him, her eyes filled with fear and just a little bit of hope. He whispered into her ear.

“You are here as more than just my partner. You are also my date. And it would be perfectly fine for two people who are together under platonic circumstances to dance this close. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Felicity seemed to pause, like she was deciding whether to go with him on this or pull back. The moment stretched on and on in Oliver’s mind. He felt his old insecurities creep in and assault his confidence. What was he doing forcing this on her? She had a choice. That was the whole point. He needed to let her choose and he wasn’t letting her do that. Then he felt her nod against his shoulder. Something warm flooded out from his chest, flowing through his entire body and making him feel giddy. He knew he was grinning like an idiot but he didn’t care. He looked down at her. When she saw him smiling, she did the same thing. Her smile was so beautiful and bright it took his breath away. She really was a beautiful light, his beautiful light.

“Мой красивый свет,” he whispered. He spun them around the floor slowly, whispering it over and over again. And if his lips brushed against her temple a few times, he didn’t call attention to it. The movement was becoming habitual, something he would need to make sure he had a hold on in the future. As wonderful as it would be to do that during a board meeting or after a press conference, he would have to keep himself in check. For now, he would take each opportunity he could get.

As they danced, she relaxed in his arms until she was leaning against him. Her weight pressed into his chest and Oliver could barely keep himself from sweeping her off her feet and taking her somewhere they could be alone. In that moment, he made a decision that would make or break him.

He was going to woo Felicity Smoak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised tropes, so hopefully I delivered on some good ones. And we have Russian! Hope you like the pet name because it's going to become more common as we go. Oliver is a little possessive. Sorry, not sorry. Next week, more dancing, but of a different kind ;););)
> 
>  
> 
> Russian 1: Those bastards better watch where they are looking or I'm going to break them. Felicity isn't some piece of meat for them to admire. She is a beautiful light and deserves to be treated as such. If they touch her, I'll kill them. She. Is. Mine.
> 
> Russian 2: My beautiful light


	7. More Than You Bargained For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity enlists Marissa and Thea's help to make Oliver see her as more than his Executive Assistant. And it works.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Readers! We are back! 
> 
> We have been absolutely blown away by the response to this story and the press it has gotten. In the pas week, we've ended up on two fic recommendation lists, which is two more than I thought we would ever get. I'm so glad that everyone has enjoyed this story. From the bottom of our hearts: thank you all so so much! 
> 
> As always, shout out to my internet mom, @nvwhovian, and my internet sisters @the-silverforked-sky, and @beinmyheart for their help and support "Fluffy" as we call it, would not exist without them.

 

A hand slid gently down the side of her face, caressing her skin and leaving a trail of fire in its wake. Felicity gasped as it seared her, making her want more. A rough, dangerous voice whispered her name in the dark. The sound came from all around her, igniting a fire inside of her. She had to find the source, the owner of the voice. Felicity tried to look around, but the sudden scratch of stubble against her breast stopped her search. The sensation made her groan and she pushed her chest out, seeking out the feeling again. It disappeared just as quickly, leaving her breathless. Felicity wanted that feeling back, no, she _needed_ it back.

A large hand grabbed her ass and calloused fingers gripped her tight, interrupting her thoughts. The fire inside her burned hotter and began to spread, from her core all the way to her fingertips. Felicity reached out blindly, trying to find the source of all this, but her eyes would not open. Her hands groped around wildly in the darkness. Desperation overcame her as she felt the lightest touch between her thighs. The fire inside her became an inferno, consuming her in an all-encompassing flame of need.

“Please,” she whispered into the darkness, hoping she would get some kind of answer. She didn’t understand what was happening to her, but in that moment it didn’t matter. All that mattered was hearing that voice, being touched by those hands, feeling that scratch against her skin.

A hand grasped hers and she stilled. Soft lips pressed a ghost of a kiss against her palm.

“What do you need, mой красивый свет,” the voice asked. More soft kisses moved up her arm to her shoulder, across her collarbone, and ending just below her ear.

_Oh god, I need you. Please Oliver. Please._

“Oliver...”

***

Felicity woke up to that same warmth from the previous morning, a warmth that she was quickly becoming addicted to. It seeped into her bones and made her feel like nothing could touch her. She didn’t want to move, not even to open her eyes. She knew what she would find if she did and she wasn’t ready to go back to the real world just yet. She wanted to hold onto her dream just a little longer.  Then a hand flexed against her lower back. A hand that hand two fingers below the waistband of her sleep shorts.

Felicity’s eyes snapped open, hyper aware of where she was and who she was practically draped over.  Her dream hit her like a freight train and a ball of need coiled up in her gut. Oliver’s fingers felt just like she imagined them, warm and rough from callouses. Then that hand moved across her skin and latched onto the dip of her hipbone. Felicity tried not to breathe as she felt Oliver actually pull her backwards toward him. She felt his bare chest against her back, the warm emanating from him turned into a different kind of heat, one that made her want to shed her clothes.

There was an inherent _rightness_ to being there, flush against Oliver. She had fought it the previous day after realizing that her dream wasn’t too far off from reality. Then Oliver had kissed her and her mind had gone blank. The only thing she could think about was running as far away as she could. She had needed space to process what had happened. Then he had called her his partner at the conference and danced with her in front of everyone, keeping her very close. His hand had stayed attached to her lower back from the rest of the night. He hadn’t moved it until they got back in the car. And then, in that very Oliver way of his, he seemed to know she needed time to process what happened, so he left her alone.

Oliver shifted behind her and suddenly he was pressed up against her. She felt something behind her move against her ass, and then all rational thought left her. She moved slightly and his sweatpant length slid into the space between her cheeks. She bit her lip to keep herself from moaning, but Oliver actually started grinding against her, ever so slightly and she couldn’t keep it in.

“ _Fe-li-ci-ty.”_

Felicity froze. Oliver had said her name. He was grinding against her in his sleep, and he said _her_ name. He was dreaming about her. That meant that all the dancing and the comment about being his date first wasn’t just to make her feel like she belonged. He did it because of her. Oliver Queen wanted her.

_You’re still dreaming dumbass. Oliver Queen would never want you. He would never have seen you if you didn’t work at Queen Consolidated. He has Gorgeous Laurel. Why would he ever want you?_

Felicity felt Oliver move behind her again, burying his nose in her hair and taking a deep breath. He whispered her name again and then he softly kissed the spot below her ear that made her melt. She moved against him, losing herself in her feelings.

“Oliver…”

He froze behind her and she knew he was awake now. He didn’t move for a moment. That moment became two, then three and it seemed to stretch on forever. Felicity wasn’t sure if he would pull away or continue. She wasn’t sure what she was more scared of. He slowly pulled away, but dragged his fingers across her skin in the process. It was gentle but it felt heavy, like he was trying to remember what she felt like. She shivered, and then the fingers were gone. The disappointment she felt was far more powerful than she was ready for. Something was missing now, something incredibly important.

She rolled over on her other side and took stock of the room. Oliver sat at the edge of the bed, breathing deeply and clearly trying to get himself under control. Felicity realized how close to the edge she was. She had migrated across the bed during the night ending up on his side and on his pillow.

“I’m sorry,” Oliver said. His voice was still rough with sleep and it made her insides gooey. “That was incredibly inappropriate on my part. You should know that I don’t treat people like that anymore. I would never treat _you_ like that.”

The passion in his voice surprised her. He hadn’t done anything wrong really. Well, aside from sort of molest her in his sleep. Which she was having a hard...difficult time seeing as a bad thing.

“Oliver, it’s ok-“

“It’s not ok. You don’t deserve to be treated like that. Ever. You deserve so much more.”

Oliver’s reaction floored her. What was he talking about? He hadn’t done anything wrong. At least not to her. He hadn’t treated her like some random girl…

Oliver stood up and walked toward the bathroom, telling her he’d take the first shower. She watched him walk toward the bathroom. She saw that he had not calmed down at all, and seeing what had been behind her earlier made that fire inside her start to burn again. She had always kind of assumed he would be, well, endowed but not like that. That was more than her dreams had come up with.

Felicity shook her head and started to get out of bed when she felt something stop her. The feeling of incompleteness hit her like a truck. She fell back onto the bed and laid down on Oliver’s side. Her head landed on the pillow and she took a deep breath. The pillow smelled like Oliver; woodsy and clean and something that was just him. It settled that feeling and finally she started to pull herself together. And if she pulled the pillow to her and cuddled it, imaging it was Oliver with his arms wrapped around her, then she didn’t think about it.

***

The Dearden mansion still impressed Felicity, but it had lost some of its sheen. She walked through the halls and main areas of the house and the more time she spent there, the more it felt like Queen Manor. It just seemed so impersonal and cold, even though the colors were warm and neutral. The weak winter sunlight didn’t help. If anything it made all of the imperfections stand out even more. She remembered that Marissa said the house belonged to Elton. She wondered if any of the things in the house had been chosen by him.

“Fell! Fell wait up.”

Thea appeared at her side and slid her arm through Felicity’s. Her casual sweater, jeans and boots still made her look like a model. Felicity felt underdressed in her long sleeve blouse, slacks and riding boots, but she reasoned that Thea could wear a trash bag and still look better than her.

She smiled and Felicity couldn’t help but smile back. Thea had become an incredible friend in such a short amount of time. It surprised Felicity that she could open up to the younger Queen so easily, but Thea had opened up to her just as much. It really did feel good to have a close female friend friend again.

“What’s up?” Felicity asked.

“Ugh, I needed to get away from Karly. If I have to hear her talk about being ‘Mrs. Karly Bishop’ one more time, I will  slug her. She thinks that marrying Elton is her in with the Deardens, but she is too dumb to realize that none of them even like Elton. They don’t see any of them as family really.”

“Why?”

“Let’s walk and talk,” Thea said. They walked outside into the cool winter air and began walking down one of the clear concrete paths. “Aunt Marissa didn’t go along with Grandmother and Grandfather’s plans for her.”

“What did she do?”

“When she finished college, they arranged a marriage for her. She took one look at the guy and told him to get out. That led to a huge fight and Aunt Marissa left the house. She packed her bags and ran away.”

“Is that how she met your Uncle Travis?”

“Yup,” Thea said, popping the last syllable of the word. “She ended up in Texas without anything except her suitcase and the clothes on her back. She took shelter on the porch of a ranch house during a storm and-“

“And that was how I met my husband.”

Felicity squeaked and jumped at the sound of Marissa’s voice. The woman in question had linked her arm through Felicity’s, effectively trapping her. Marissa wore a fleece pullover, jeans and hiking boots. She made casual look anything but. Probably a Queen and Dearden family trait.

“He pulled up in a rather beat up pick up, and instead of running inside to stay dry, he made sure that all of his equipment was put away, and the gate was closed behind him. He made sure that everything was in order before he worried about himself. That told me most of what I needed to know, and it gave me the courage to ask him for a place to stay.”

“What did he say,” Felicity said, completely wrapped up in the story now.

“All he did was ask me if I was in trouble or needed help. I told him that I had left home to avoid an arranged marriage to a man I had never met before. He told me I could stay as long as I needed to get my feet under me.”

“Awww,” Felicity and Thea said together. Marissa smiled.

“I spent a week there. He never asked me anything about my family or the marriage. He only asked about me. What did I like to do, where did I go to school, did I have any plans for Texas or was I headed somewhere else...,” Marissa’s face changed as she lost herself in the memory, “He never asked me about something if I told him not to. The only thing he tried to do was help me move forward. He treated me like a normal person, not a rich person, or a woman with crazy ideas. By the end of that week, I was so in love with him that I decided to stay in Texas and make him mine.”

“That’s so cute!” Thea squealed.

“Oh, he didn’t make it easy. We started a business together after selling part of his ranch when we found oil on it. We invested that money in pharmaceuticals and technology. Two years later, we had tripled our investments and bought back the oil well from the petroleum company we’d sold it to. We were rich, successful, and had nothing but great things in front of us. But he never made a move. He always let me choose and made sure I knew he would support me.”

“Is that so bad?” Felicity asked. It seemed like the perfect thing for a relationship.

“No, it was terrible. He would never try to voice his own opinion or challenge me when he thought I was wrong. He was so afraid of me walking away that he wouldn’t change anything. I wanted more than a yes-man. I wanted a partner.”

“So what did you do?”

“I gave him an ultimatum. If he loved me as much I loved him, he would tell me. If not, I would get on a train and go back home to accept the arranged marriage.”

“What did he do,” Thea asked. She was just as engrossed in the story as Felicity.

“He didn’t do anything. We were in Washington D.C to settle a business deal. After we were done, I gave him the choice. He didn’t say anything at all. He just stood there with his mouth open and stared at me. I left him standing in Union Station as I got on a train to go home.”

“No!” Felicity and Thea both stopped and turned to stand in front of Marissa. Felicity didn’t know why, but she needed to hear this story. No, she needed this story to have a happy ending. If it didn’t, how could she-

“Yes. But I got off the train and found him standing in the same spot. He looked broken when I found him but I didn’t care. I was so angry that he had just let me walk away after everything that we had done together. I started giving him a piece of my mind but he didn’t seem to notice me for a minute. He had his hands in his pockets. When he realized I was there, his eyes lit up and he smiled the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. He dropped down on one knee and asked me to marry him.”

“What?!”

“Oh my god that is cute!”

Marissa smiled even wider. “I’ve always loved sweets, so Travis started carrying candy in his jacket, just for me. He proposed to me with a cherry Ring Pop. I just started laughing at him. I tried to hurt him a little, so I said ‘Do you think this makes everything right? Do you really think this is enough?’ But he looked at me with that giant smile on his face and said ‘Mar, this doesn’t make up for anything. But I’ll give you the rest of my life if you want it.’”

Felicity’s heart swelled and she couldn’t stop the dreamy smile from taking over her face. Thea had become a puddle of happy tears.

“I got the one thing I wanted more than anything in the world by luck. If I had stayed on that train even thirty seconds longer, then I would have left him on the platform. I look back on it now and wonder what my life would be like if I had waited any longer. And I know for a fact that I would have lost the most important man in my life.”

Marissa looked directly at Felicity and gave her a look full of meaning.

“Don’t wait Felicity. Don’t be afraid of changing things. If you just stand back, you might be too late.”

Marissa’s words felt like a knife to the heart. Felicity imagined watching Oliver walk away from her because she couldn’t make a leap and trust him. She trusted him with her safety, with her secrets, with her life even. But she hadn’t trusted anyone with her heart since Cooper. Was she willing to try? An image came to Felicity, one that she had kept buried for months. She saw herself cuddled up with Oliver in their own bed, warm light filling the room. She could wake up next to him every day, have him there when she came home after a good day or bad day and be there for her.

“I…I want Oliver to really see me. I want him to see me as more than just a friend. I want him to seem me as a woman and…” Felicity felt her confidence grow as she spoke, pulling strength from both Marissa and Thea. “I want to be with him. I want to Oliver to be mine.”

Marissa’s smile shifted from one of joy to something more dangerous. She looked like a cat that had cornered a mouse. Felicity realized that she had just walked into a trap. Marissa had done this on purpose. She had somehow known what Felicity was struggling with and exploited it. Felicity swung her gaze to Thea, who was grinning from ear to ear, all signs of her tears completely gone. Felicity felt her stomach sink. She wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

“That story wasn’t real was it?”

“Of course it was darling. I am always completely serious when it involves my husband. However, that does not change anything. The time for waiting is over.”

“Lucky for you, you have us in your corner. And Mom too,” Thea said.

“Yes, Moira was very adamant about helping you. My sister does not stop until she gets what she wants. Though, if you talk to her, I’m sure she would tone it down. She really does like you dear.”

Felicity stored that bit of information away for later. There would be time to process later. Now was the time for action.

“So what do we do to make him notice me? I mean I know he notices me if this morning is any indication since he said my name in his sleep and rubbing against me but that could have been about something else. At least I hope not considering he had has hand down my pants. Not like that! Oliver would never ever force himself on me, especially since he said I deserved to be treated better than that. What does that mean though because he could just mean that I shouldn’t be molested first thing in the morning and I’m stopping in 3..2..1.” Felicity pressed her lips together and tried to disappear. But lightning didn’t strike her down and she didn’t teleport, so he turned to face two parts of Team Felicity.

Marissa had one eyebrow raised and a crooked grin on her face. Thea looked like she was deciding between trying to be happy for Felicity and not throwing up.

“Felicity dear, it looks like you’ve already done most of the work for us.”

“So what do we do now,” Felicity asked, feeling her nerves start to take over.

“Now,” Thea said, having recovered from Felicity’s babble, “we go in for the kill.”

***

The club was louder than Felicity imagined, but considering the number of ‘Woo Girls’ in Karly’s bridal party, it shouldn’t have been surprising. The club reminded her of Verdant, even down to the primarily green color motifs throughout the club. A three story affair, _Club Envy_ was supposed to be one of the best spots in Boston. It was certainly loud enough to be. The first floor was a giant dance floor, with a bar that ran the length of the right wall. The second and third floors were ringed around the area, leaving a giant space for club goers to see the main dance floor. Catwalks connected the different sides of the second floor, though none were on the third floor. The top level was reserved for VIPs, with individual private rooms.

Karly’s group had reserved the entire left side of the third floor, but they abandoned it immediately for the dance floor. Thea had dragged Felicity along, much to Oliver’s annoyance. He had tried to grab her, but when Thea stepped in and said that “Felicity just wanted to have some fun,” Oliver had let them go. That didn’t stop him from not so subtly threatening Roy into being a bodyguard. Felicity could only shake her head. They were in a club with security, surrounded by their friends and relatives. This wasn’t The Glades. Nothing like that would happen to here. In spite of that, Felicity decided that drinking would not be a good idea. A girl can’t be too careful.

Thea led them to an open corner of the dance floor, close enough to keep Karly and her bridesmaids in line, but far enough away to have a little privacy. It also gave them a way to watch Elton fail at getting anyone to dance with him, Karly included. Thea and Roy were linked together, barely any space between them as they danced. It left Felicity feeling slightly vulnerable. The black dress she wore was so full of cut outs that it shouldn’t really be a dress. It was something she wanted to wear out with friends, but was always afraid that she would end up wearing to a trivia night at a coffee shop by mistake.

Felicity looked around for Oliver, but she never found him. Considering he was wearing a jet black suit jacket and pants and white shirt, sans tie, she thought he would be easy to spot. But no matter where she looked, he was nowhere to be found. After ten minutes of constant searching Felicity gave up. If Oliver didn’t want to dance with her, fine. She would enjoy herself. Just because she was here as his date didn’t mean she couldn’t dance with other people.

She swayed and moved with the bass, letting herself get wrapped up in the music. She forgot that she was there with Oliver, forgot that Thea and Roy were next to her, forgot everything except the pulsing rhythm of the music. She let the sounds and the beat guide her, closing her eyes and just moving. A pair of hands landed on her hips, a little too low to be appropriate. The person’s hands felt slimy. Then she felt someone’s crotch against her ass. Felicity was having none of that. She turned and faced her unwanted dance partner. He was just tall enough to see over her, with oily black hair and too many gold chains. He looked at her like she was nothing more than a piece of meat.

“Let go.”

“Come on baby, you know you like it. Girl who moves like you needs something special. Why don’t we-”

“I said let go.” Felicity looked to Roy and Thea. They both looked at her but she shook her head. She could handle the idiot without help.

“Let’s just go get a drink.”

“If you wanna keep your nads, then take your hands off of me.”

Mr. Oily Hair snarled and grabbed her arm, intent on dragging her away. Felicity was about to make him a eunuch when a familiar hand grabbed his arm. Felicity blinked and suddenly an arm was wrapped around her waist, bracing her against a very firm chest. Oliver’s warmth instantly calmed her. When she looked at Mr. Oily Hair, he was clutching his wrist like it was broken, which it probably was.

“Touch her again and I’ll break more than your wrist,” Oliver said. Even as loud as the music was, Oliver’s voice carried over it. It sounded dangerously close to his Arrow voice.

“Fuck you man. She was asking for it. She don’t belong to you.”

Oliver let her go long enough to grab the scumbag by the front of his shirt and bring him up to eye level. It took Mr. Oily Hair off his feet and he dangled in the air, held aloft by just one arm. Felicity’s throat went dry and she made fists to keep herself from reaching out. Insane displays of strength in semi-formal clothes was incredibly hot.

“She is mine, and if you lay a hand on her again, you will not make it out of this club. Do you understand me?”

Oily Hair clearly realized just how serious Oliver was. He nodded his head vigorously and Oliver dropped him. The man hit the floor and scrambled, pushing bodies out of the way to put as much distance between him and Oliver as possible. Oliver turned and marched over to her. Without warning he stood directly in front of her. She felt his hands frame her face, and a jolt of electricity surged through her, making her feel short of breath. Then he touched his forehead to hers and the whole world fell away.

Felicity felt like she was surrounded by him. She reached out hesitantly and touched his face, just barely letting her fingertips touch his cheek. He took a giant breath and blew it out, turning into her touch. She rubbed her thumb across his skin, reveling in the feel of his scruff against her skin. He turned his head and kissed her palm, his forehead never leaving hers. The sensations brought Felicity back to her dream and the desire she had felt that morning came back tenfold.

“Are you alright,” he asked, sounding as breathless as she felt.

“Yes,” she said, though it came out more affected than she’d wanted it to. She felt Oliver shiver as he let out another heavy breath. His thumb caressed her cheek and his left hand moved to her back, pulling her closer to him. His hand landed on a huge patch of bare skin on her lower back and his fingertips pressed into her. She reached out and grabbed his jacket, holding it like a lifeline as her other hand moved to the back of his head to keep him pinned.

“mой красивый свет,” he whispered.

“Oliver…”

Oliver slowly pulled back to look at her, and what she saw made her breath catch. His eyes were almost black, and the muscles in his jaw were twitching.

“I couldn’t let him touch you like that. I’m sorry for ruining your night.”

“Oliver you didn’t ruin anything. I’m grateful that you were looking out for me but I could have dealt with that myself. I’m not a damsel in distress and I can handle myself.” She let her fingers run through the hair at the nape of his neck. She felt goosebumps appear under her touch. Oliver froze for a second, before moving his hand from her cheek to her hair, trapping them together. She could feel the tension in his muscles, like he was trying to hold himself back. Felicity realized just how much she affected him. She knew already from the last two days, but having Oliver like this because she touched him finally made it real.

Her touches turned from comfort to exploration as she let go of his jacket to run her hand under along his chest. His hand tightened on her back and his fingers gripped her hair. She smiled to herself. She slowly turned her back to him, making sure to keep as much contact with him as possible. His hand left her hair but his other stayed in place even as she moved. Her back was flush against his chest and his arm was wrapped around her, his hand resting on her stomach, securing her against him. She began to sway to the music, moving her hips like she had before. She felt his body respond immediately as she rolled her hips against his crotch.

Oliver crushed her against him and dropped his head to her shoulder. He began to move with her, keeping his crotch pressed into her ass. He kissed her neck and Felicity dropped her head to the side, giving him exactly what he wanted. They danced to the beat that pulsed through the club, but she was sure neither one of them could hear it. Felicity’s world had condensed down to Oliver. She needed to keep touching him and she needed him to keep kissing her neck. Being so close felt so good and she couldn’t stop herself from running her hands over every part of him she could touch. His lips landed on the spot just below her ear and she let out a small moan of pleasure. Then his hips bucked and it sent waves of heat crashing through her. She felt his hands and his lips on her but she couldn’t see him. But this time she could touch him and it was a thousand times better.

“What are you doing to me Felicity,” Oliver whispered against her skin.

“Oliver…please.” Felicity’s breath came in small gasps as she tried to control herself. She wasn’t sure what was happening to them. She just knew she needed more.

“What do you need, mой красивый свет?”

“I need-“

A high pitched squeal broke through their bubble as a very drunk Karly and very and angry Elton stumbled past them and fell to the floor. Karly squirmed under him, yelling something about ‘her abs being taken by glasses’. Elton tried his best to calm her and help her up, but she would have none of it. She was like a toddler throwing a tantrum. Felicity almost felt sorry for him. Club security approached Elton and told him that he and his party would have to leave. Elton was about to fight it, but Karly perked up and agreed that they all needed to leave right away. She was up on her feet and strutting towards the door before Elton could even question her.

Felicity looked up at Oliver, still pressed into him and dropped her arms onto his. He circled his other arm around her and just held her. Both of them tried to calm down, especially Oliver who, Felicity realized, was using her as a shield. He may not have a problem with people knowing that he wanted her, but he would definitely not be ok with Thea seeing him walk out of the club in his current state. As they stood there trying to collect themselves, Felicity understood what she had to do. She knew that Oliver respected her for her, enjoyed being around her and, if tonight had proven anything, Oliver wanted her. It was time for her to stop hiding and take a leap.

She was going to make Oliver hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so we're getting closer and closer to the point of now return for them. Next week is a game changer! Warning though, it won't be very smooth. Then again, what's Olicity without a little angst huh?
> 
> Also, I made up Club Envy. Not a real spot.


	8. You're The Inspiration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity confront their feelings for each other. Also, Felicity battles the Ring of Doom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back everyone! 
> 
> I owe you all an apology. Life is getting the better of me right now, so writing is tough. But I've still been remiss in updating this. For that, I am sorry. I'm also sorry because this is where we get angsty. Like, really angsty all at once. But this is the only time. We will get back to the Fluff, but like I said a few weeks ago, when have these two ever made it easy on us?
> 
> As always, thanks to @nvwhovian, @the-silverforked-sky, @beinmyheart, and longlivefelicitythequeen. They are my Internet family, and this story would not be possible without them.

#  

Felicity woke to a familiar warmth under her cheek. She took a deep breath, inhaling the comforting woodsy scent. Her hands drew slow circles over rippling muscles and traced the contours of the body beneath her. She reveled in the sensations he caused, just from letting her touch him. His muscles tensed under her hand as her fingers ghosted over his skin, but she knew it wasn’t from discomfort. She knew now that he fought to keep himself from touching her without her permission, doing his best to ensure that when he did touch her, it was wanted. She appreciated how hard he tried to show her that he saw her as a person and a woman. He would never push her to do something she didn’t want to do, or bully her into something thought was wrong.

Well, at least not anymore.  When she first found him bleeding out in the back of her Mini, he had been so detached from people, never getting to know them out of fear. His fear of them finding out about him or inadvertently hurting them always pushed them away. But he had opened himself up so much since then, becoming a better brother, a better son and a better friend. She would never voice it, but she was proud of him for trying to become a better person. Even after all that had happened to him, he still strove to do more, to be more. It was an inspiration, one that she wished she could share with the world.

The thought brought Felicity back to the present. Her head still rested on Oliver’s chest and her hand had stopped roaming, ending its journey over his heart. Her leg was thrown over his under the sheets. Oliver had arm wrapped around her, keeping her secured against his chest. His other arm hung limply off the side of the bed. His face was calm, free of the deep worry lines and constantly furrowed brow. This was Oliver as she never saw him; vulnerable. He was comfortable enough with her to be like this. It made her want this even more.

Felicity felt him stir but made no attempt to move. She liked where she was, more than liked it really. She was warm, happy, safe and more relaxed than she had been in years. She had one of the most beautiful men in the world next to her and she was going to make damn sure that he stayed there with her.

“Felicity? Are you alright?”

Felicity smiled and snuggled into him.

“Yeah,” she said, her voice soft and sleepy, “I’m great.”

Oliver’s response was to pull her closer, moving so they laid side by side. He wrapped both arms around her and trapped her against him. He rested his forehead against hers and Felicity stopped breathing for a moment. She stayed still in his arms, her heart thundering in her ears. This was it. She wanted this. She wanted to wake up in these arms like this, to share a tender moment without words, and know that the person holding her cared about her as much as she cared about him. In image of them together in her apartment popped into her mind. The image shifted to them standing arm in arm in front of a two-story brick Colonial, then walking together through a park, each one holding onto the little girl between them.

The last flash broke her trance and suddenly all her insecurities came rushing back in. She fought to push them aside and keep them away. This wasn’t a place for fear or doubt. This place in Oliver’s arms was a special place, _her_ special place. She could dream all she wanted here, even if those dreams were way too far away. And deeply terrifying.

“What’s wrong?”

Oliver’s voice was soft but worried. She could almost feel him tense up inside, waiting to be pushed away.

_No, no, no, no, no! This is our place. You can’t leave. I need you here. With me._

Felicity moved her hand from his heart to cup his cheek and brushed her fingers through his scruff. The movement calmed him and he turned into her touch, his forehead never leaving hers.

“Nothing’s wrong. Just want to a very strange place.”

“Where did you go?”

“A fantasy land full of things I don’t understand and probably won’t until I’m old and decrepit.”

“Oh,” he said, a glint of mischief in his eyes, “and how old is that?”

“28.”

“Felicity, I’m 28.”

“And you are very spry for an old man.”

Oliver chuckled and Felicity couldn’t help but smile. She let her fingers move over his face, gently tracing the outline of his jaw until she reached his lips. The air changed between them as her thumb touched his bottom lip. She left him tense around her, trying not to move and disrupt the moment. Felicity met his eyes and she felt herself drowning in the storm she found there. His breath on her face made her heart rate spike again. A different kind of warmth consumed her, one that started in her toes and spread through her. She couldn’t look away no matter how hard she tried.

“Felicity,” he whispered against her thumb, “what’s happening?”

_I’m falling for you so hard that I’ll never survive without you. I’m trying not to beg you feel the same way about me. I’m praying that this is real, because I don’t want to be without you anymore._

“I don’t know.”

_Yes, I do. I’m falling in love with you and I can’t make it stop. I’m scared that I can’t make it stop. And even more afraid that I don’t want to._

           ***

Oliver and Felicity closed in on the Dearden mansion close to 10 am. The day was theirs to do what they wanted. The next formal event wasn’t until tomorrow night at the rehearsal dinner. The number of people at the mansion had increased each day, eventually making the property seem more like a home. A light snow began falling early in the morning and was slated to continue throughout the day. Of course, that meant everyone decided to stay inside. It also meant that Felicity had nowhere to go to be alone.

She wandered the paths outside the house, tugging her jacket tight around her as he replayed the morning with Oliver. Something had changed between them. She could feel it. Their relationship had clearly moved past platonic. She could see and feel how much he wanted to be around her, how much he trusted her. She felt the same way about him. But would that be enough? Did that mean anything at all?

Oliver hadn’t acted like her boss or her friend this week. He had been someone new, someone that Felicity had never seen before. He was happy, he laughed more, he got jealous when she was around other guys. He was almost always by her side, finding some way to touch her or keep her close. He was acting like a boyfriend.

“Fell? Fell, you there?”

Felicity jumped back in surprise and almost knocked Thea to the ground.

“Woah! Easy there. I’m not a mugger.”

“Thea you scared me,” Felicity said, though the words came out shaky.

“Sorry about that,” Thea said. She linked her arm through Felicity’s and began to walk them down the path. “So what’s new in the adventures of Olicity?”

“Huh?”

Thea gave her a flat look. “Olicity? You know, like a ship name?”

“Why would we be a ship name…oh. OH.”

“Mhmm,” Thea said with a smile. “So, how are things with my brother? Probably well considering you guys wouldn’t let each other go last night. Also, I am instituting a new rule: I don’t want to know anything about you and my brother going at it.”

“Noted. Things are, well, things are heavy. Not a bad heavy, or really a heavy heavy because we aren’t carrying anything. But whenever I look at him or think about him I feel heavy and I don’t know what to do.”

“Fell, we talked about this last night right? You want to make Ollie see you for you.”

“And he does Thea, I know he does. I just-“

“You’re afraid of what will happen if you get your happy ending.”

Felicity squealed and almost knocked Thea over again. Moira and Marissa sat on a bench together a bench to Felicity’s right, each with a cup of tea in hand. They both wore jeans and heavy sweaters, yet still managed to look intimidating. They both gestured to a second bench in front of them, indicating that they wanted to be a part of this conversation. Thea and Felicity sat down and face the sisters.

“So I am correct dear,” Moira asked, “or is this something more pointed? Is it something we could take aim at together?”

Felicity immediately realized what Moira was asking. For the first time in a year, her personal problems were not Arrow related. She shook her head and saw Moira give her the slightest of nods.

“No, Mrs. Queen. It’s nothing like that. I’m just, I’m just afraid. Of a lot of things.”           

Moira gave her an almost motherly smile. “Felicity darling, I know that my son’s past is a rather difficult subject to touch on, what with you in the pursuit of romance, but it is worth noting that he has never been with someone like you.”

Felicity tried to fight down the feelings of inadequacy and fear that bubbled up inside her.

“You know all sides of him, my dear,” Marissa said, “and he has let you in more than anyone. Who would you say the person he trusts the most is? Who is the one that he lets see the man behind the mask, so to speak?”

Felicity blinked for a second taking in every meaning in Marissa’s words. Her eyes widened as Marissa also gave her a subtle nod while quickly looking at Moira. They both knew.

“It’s you Fell,” Thea said. “Ollie was always happy and open with us, but you didn’t always know what was going on in his head. When he came back, it just got worse. But he’s not like that with you. He’ll show when he’s happy, when he’s angry, even when he’s hurt. He doesn’t do that with just anyone.”

“So darling, you can see that my son cares deeply for you, and I am sure that you care just as deeply for him. What is holding you back?”

Felicity looked down at her feet, wringing her hands and trying to shrink into the bench. Just like her attempt in Oliver’s office, she failed to change phases and melt into a puddle. She sat in front of Moira and Marissa, with Thea on her left, and debated whether to tell them the truth. The three women had done their best to help her accomplish something she had only dreamed of. They had understood her feelings and trusted her with someone important to all of them. Maybe it was alright for her to trust them in return.

“I’m not anything like the other girls. I’m… I’m not like Laurel. I’m just the nerdy assistant and friend. I’ve read this story enough times to see where it’s going. At least, I know what would happen in that story. I’d get the guy and drive off into the sunset. But this isn’t romance novel. I’m not the heroine. Life isn’t that easy.”

The group sat in silence, waiting for Felicity to finish.

“I grew up in a house with no money and no father. I learned early on that you can’t depend on anyone but yourself to get the things you want. My mom taught me that you have to work hard to keep what you have. She also showed me that no matter how hard you work, there will always be people who look down on you just because of who you are or what you look like.” Felicity wrapped her arms around herself and gripped the sleeves of her jacket. “You’re too short, you’re too loud, you’re too poor, you only got an A because you’re a teacher’s pet, you slept with the TA, you’re cheating on the test, you’re sleeping with your boss.” Felicity took a deep breath, fighting to keep her voice even. “All I ever heard in college were the insults and accusations about me and who I was supposedly sleeping with. No one actually believed I earned my degrees on my own. And it isn’t any different at Queen Consolidated. Everyone seems to think I slept my way into being an EA. All they do is take shots at me behind my back. Everyone always, _always_ , finds something I’m lacking. No matter what I do or say, it is never good enough. What if it’s the same for Oliver? What if I’m not good enough?”

Marissa reached out and gently grasped Felicity’s hand. She gave it a small squeeze. Felicity looked at the older woman and saw compassion and a small bit of understanding.

“Felicity, you are too hard on yourself. You are an amazing young woman, one that should be proud of what she has accomplished. You should be championed as an example for others. And I believe that Oliver would fight for the right to be your loudest advocate.”

Felicity bowed her head and closed her eyes, fighting to keep the small bit hope inside her from growing.

Moira smiled and shook her head. “You don’t see it, do you? The way he lingers on you when you turn around, or the smile he wears when you become excited about something? Darling, the last man I knew who did that was so hopelessly in love with someone that they watched her walk away from him on a train station.”

Felicity raised her head to meet Moira’s gaze. There was happiness, compassion and even a little sympathy there. To think the Queen matriarch was capable of that much warmth toward someone other than her own children was hard to deal with.

“Just give yourself a chance Felicity,” Moira said, “Oliver may surprise you.”

***

The casual dinner was nothing like what Felicity had expected. It really was casual. No one wore anything more dressy than khaki trousers. There wasn’t even a real dinner. There was a large buffet style spread of food in the dining room, using the main table. No seats were in the room, forcing people to walk and talk. It became a more relaxed of the first night at the mansion, including Felicity hanging back against the wall by the bar with Roy. She had avoided Oliver for the entire day. She needed to sort out her feelings before she saw him again.

Something had changed between them, and it wasn’t just from her. Oliver had been more and more open with her, even affectionate. Their private moments had expanded beyond her chair in the Foundry, and now they were taking place in front of other people. Even their actual private moments had shifted, becoming almost intimate and incredibly heavy. The only way she could understand it was to say it loving.

Love. The word stopped Felicity cold. Did she love Oliver? Was that what this was? Well, she did love his smile. She loved his voice. She loved how stubborn he could be. She loved how heroic he was and how far he would go for the ones he loved. She loved him for trying and failing but never giving up. She loved him as the Arrow and as Oliver Queen. Felicity rolled her eyes and fought the urge to bang her head against the bar. She had fallen in love with her boss.

“You ok?,” Roy asked.

“Nope.”

“You want to talk about it?”

“I think that-,” Felicity paused gathering her strength, “- I think I’m in love with Oliver.”

Roy blinked once and shrugged.

“Really? That’s the only reaction I get? I just used the L word and all you do is shrug?”

“Well yeah. Thea told me you guys were basically together without being together. So it’s not surprising. Oliver looks at you like you’re the only thing the world that matters to him and you watch him like he’s the same thing to you.”

“I don- “

“I have eyes Felicity. I can see it.”

Travis sauntered up to them, dressed in a flannel button down and jeans, looking much more at ease. He looked between her and Roy and just laughed. He placed his hand on Felicity’s shoulder and squeezed gently.

“You just realized you love Oliver, didn’t you?”

“How did you know?”

“Mar told me about your conversation the other day. Was wonderin’ how long it would take you to make the connection for yourself.”

Felicity stood there, dumbfounded. Thea told Roy. Marissa told Travis. What was next? Did Moira tell Tommy?

“Hey Smoaky! I heard the good news. When are you gonna tell Oliver that you L word him?”

She whirled around, fixing Tommy with a glare. His smile dropped for a second before coming up again. Though he didn’t seem nearly as happy.

“Seriously,” she hissed, “does everyone in this frakking house know I’m in love with Oliver Queen?”

“They will if you aren’t quieter Fell. Then again, if they knew we could add to the Olicity fan club.” Thea joined the ever-expanding ring of people surrounding Felicity.

“Olicity? What’s that,” Travis asked.

“It’s a ship name,” Thea said. Travis gave her a blank look. “It’s where you- “

“You take two people you want to see together and combine their names,” Roy said.

“Gotcha. Thanks.”

“No problem.”

“Why does everyone know about this,” Felicity said, though it came out more panicked than she wanted.

“Because we’re supposed to darling. We’re on your side of course.”

Moira and Marissa appeared on Felicity’s left, completely the Ring of Doom.

Felicity paused for a moment to watch Marissa and Travis. The two of them only had eyes for each other, even though they were surrounded by others. The looks on their faces were amazing. That much open affection and love wasn’t something she was used to seeing from the Queens or the Deardens, yet the two of them looked like newlyweds. Marissa had wrapped both arms around Travis the moment they were close enough and he had put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in, kissing the top of her head. They stood like that simply enjoying being in each other’s embrace.

Felicity stopped seeing them and imagined herself and Oliver in the same position, greeting each other the same way. They were happy just like the Dearden-Bishops were. The image burned itself into her mind, an idea to be stored away with the others she had this morning. These were all things she wanted. She wanted them with Oliver.

She was in love with Oliver Queen.

The idea didn’t feel frightening anymore. If anything, it broke down the last wall she had around her heart flooded her with an intoxicating feeling; hope.

“Excuse me, Uncle Travis,” said a voice behind the group, “have you seen Felicity?”

Oliver’s voice cut through her thoughts and she felt alive in a way she hadn’t in a long time. Her head snapped up and she felt herself searching for him instinctively. She found him and immediately started moving toward him. He did the same until they were directly in front of each other. Being close to him again after avoiding him the whole day made her giddy. She wanted to reach out and touch him, to hold him and be held, to go back to that morning in bed.

“mой красивый свет.”

“Hi.”

“Oliver, we were just talkin’ about you. How could you leave a pretty young lady like this all alone? Someone could have come by and whisked her away. Not a smart choice, son.”

Oliver turned to look at Travis. Felicity watched as his features changed, turning from relived to concerned and back in the blink of an eye. If she didn’t know better, she would say that Oliver and Travis were having one of those silent macho conversations.

“I know Uncle Travis. I’m about to fix that.” Oliver turned and looked at her. His voice dropped a little, and he used _her_ voice. “Can I talk to you for a minute? There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Sure,” she whispered. He cupped her elbow and pulled her away from the Ring of Doom. He led her across the room and out onto the large open patio overlooking the entrance to the garden. The garden was completely covered in snow, as were the surrounding paths and grounds. The patio was the only cleared space. Moonlight reflected off the snow drifts, providing a soft light to the landscape. It felt almost magical.

Oliver lead her over to the stairs that lead to the main path through the grounds. He stopped and leaned forward on the railing. His shoulders were tensed and his jaw was clenched. He looked like he was brooding over a failed mission. The moonlight highlighted the lines in face. She could feel him struggling with something. She clamped down on the fear that he would push her away and embraced the hope in her heart.

_No more running._

“Uh oh, you’ve got broody face.”

He snorted, and just like that, he was grinning. She loved that she could always get through to him. It made her happy. Even when John couldn’t reach him, or when Thea and Tommy didn’t understand, she could always get him to talk to her.

“Sorry. It’s just that I’m… I’m not sure where to start.”

“Well, I hear the beginning always a good place.”

Oliver shook his head and rolled his eyes, but his grin widened. He looked out onto the snowy fields. The mood seemed shift around him. It became much heavier. Felicity felt it in her bones; this conversation would be about them.

“When I first met Laurel, I- “

Felicity didn’t hear anything after that. It was drowned out by the sound of her heart being crushed. Of course, this would be about Laurel. It was _always_ about Laurel. Gorgeous Laurel. She would never be able compete with her, even if the woman was in rehab. God, she couldn’t even beat an alcoholic.

“But you aren’t anything like her. You’re- “

The despair flipped to anger so fast she almost fell over. The bastard had played her! He wasn’t Oliver, not _her_ Oliver. He was just Ollie Queen, playboy billionaire, looking to bed his assistant. How could she be so stupid? She fell in love with him and that stupid act, just like so many other girls. God, she was just a cliché after all. She looked up at him and saw his confusion. He tilted his head like a puppy and reached for her head.

“Felicity?”

The slap surprised them both, but she was done hiding how she felt. The tears started falling but she kept her voice even.

“Screw you Oliver. If you wanted to get in my pants, then you missed your shot. I should have known that you would never actually feel anything for me. God, I am so stupid.”

“Felicity what the hell-“

“No! You don’t talk anymore. I already know that I’m not like Laurel. I’ll never be anything like Gorgeous Laurel. And you know what? I don’t want to be. I’m proud of who I am. So go and be in love with your stupid alcoholic dream girl. I’m done with you. Maybe I’ll go out with Tommy. He still thinks I’m pretty. Maybe he’ll even see past my looks and think about me as a person, instead of a crime fighting tech support and window dressing.”

Ok, so that one was a low blow, but he deserved it. She turned on her heel and left, not willing to look at him. She knew he had seen the tears, but she wouldn’t let him see her break down. He wasn’t worth it. She tramped off into the snow not caring that it was up to the knee of her jeans. She heard Oliver jump the railing to follow her.

_The bastard is persistent. At least he gets points for sticking to his plan._

“Felicity wait! You don’t understand!”

“I understand perfectly, Oliver. I’m not the girl you want. I get it.”

His hand closed around her arm and whirled her around. What she saw shocked her. Oliver’s face was screwed up in a combination of anger and pain she hadn’t seen since Tommy got hurt. But there was something else mixed in, something worse. He almost looked afraid.

“No, you don’t get it! You aren’t anything like Laurel, or any other girl that I’ve cared about. And that’s why- “

“That’s why what? You want to hit it and quit it? Or try to be some screwed up version of friends with bene-

“God damnit Felicity will you just listen to me,” Oliver pleaded, his grip on her arm never faltering.

“Why? Why should I listen to you,” she shouted.

“BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A cliffhanger there? Really? Yeah I know. But trust me, the next chapter is going to soothe a lot of angsty souls. Stay tuned! 
> 
> As always, please let me know what you think! I read every comment you guys post. I know it may not seem like it, but I do.


	9. I Choose You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver lays his heart on the line. Felicity makes her choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey! I'm back again!
> 
> Thank you so much for sticking with this story everyone. From me and my Internet family, Thank You! 
> 
> This is it, folks. This is where we get our much needed dose of fluff. It may get a little sappy, but in a good way. I am proud of this chapter. It is the first thing I've written for Olicity where they can really open up, especially Oliver. There are some lines in here that should make you smile. You'll recognize them.
> 
> Also, this chapter comes with a recommended song. "I Choose You" by Sara Bareilles. Play it in the background. It'll help :)
> 
> I do not own Arrow.

 

 

 

“BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!”

Oliver’s scream echoed around them, holding them in place. He couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t even feel. Everything was focused on her. He had just thrown his feelings at her, hoping she would catch them. But he needed her to catch them. He needed her to take them cradle them to her chest, give them life and never let them go. Because this was all that he had left.

But she wouldn’t try to catch them. She wanted to run.

_You are such a fucking idiot. You actually found a way to screw up a sure thing. No wonder everyone you care about gets hurt._

He should have known using Laurel to put Felicity above everyone was a bad idea, but when she smiled at him, he just couldn’t think. The light in her eyes did things to him, things that scrambled his brain and made him itch with the need to hold her to his chest and breath her in. She was so bright and beautiful. He was afraid he would destroy her if he got any closer, but he needed her. He needed her so badly it hurt.

A second passed. Then two. Three. No sound, no movement, no reaction of any kind. She just stood there, staring at him, still pulling away from him. He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to say it again, shout it out to the world, wrap his arms around her and kiss her senseless. He wanted to run as far away from everything as he could and break down. He couldn’t move until she did. He wouldn’t.

“What did you say?”

Her words were a whisper, barely even audible; the snow absorbed the sounds of the world around them, reducing everything down to just them. To him the whisper sounded like a shout, one he had been praying to hear. She wasn’t running. She stopped pulling away and slowly, oh so slowly, she came to stand in front of him. She squared her shoulders and looked right at him, ready to fight. He couldn’t help the spike of pride he felt for her. She wasn’t going to back down from him. Ever. God, he loved this woman.

_Ready to fuck it up again? Because you will. You know you will. You don’t deserve her. You never will. She would follow you to the ends of the earth to help you and it will get her killed. It will be your fault. You, a worthless, murdering, philandering sack of shit, will be the reason why she dies._

Oliver clamped down the fear as hard as he could, shoving back into that box in his heart. He couldn’t afford to be afraid right now. Or at least he couldn’t let it control him. He had to say this clearly. He needed to make her understand that he was in love with her, that he wanted to be with her. She needed to hear that from him. She deserved it. She deserved the truth.

“Felicity,” he said, a slight quake in his voice, “I- I need you to understand that this is important to me. That you’re important to me. And because of- no. No. This isn’t right.” He took a deep breath and let out a shaky exhale. His right hand was trembling. “I don’t know how to say this. I just…I just need a minute. Please don’t go. Please.”

Felicity didn’t move at all. She just stared at him with cold eyes, eyes that showed her building up walls around her heart. Oliver let his hand fall down her arm to her hand. He gently took a hold of it and laced his fingers through hers. She didn’t pull away, but she didn’t reciprocate. He took another deep breath and started again, his voice barely above a whisper. It was  _her_ voice.

“The entire time I was away I could never completely trust someone. And when that goes on for so long you stop seeing people for people, you see… threats or targets. And when I decided to come home I... I just didn’t know how to turn that part of me off. But then I walked into your office. You were the first person I could see as a- a person.” Oliver couldn’t stop the smile that broke out on his face at the memory. “There was just something about you.”

“Yeah, I was chewing on a pen,” she whispered.

“It was red.”

Her eyes snapped to his and he knew that she was listening now. This was it. This moment was where everything mattered the most.

“Felicity, I honestly don’t know if I will ever get past the person I used to be, but I do know two things. The first is that, whoever I am, I am someone who will do whatever,  _whatever_ it takes, to be that man for you.”

She paused. “And the second thing?”

Oliver squeezed her hand and looked into her eyes. He let all the walls fall and he let himself feel it all. The pain, the fear the joy, and the overwhelmingly powerful sense of love for the woman in front of him. Her eyes widened and he knew then that she understood that this was real. So, he took the leap again.

“I love you.”

The tears started again, but she was smiling this time. She threw her arms around his neck and held him tight. He was stunned for a second. Was this real? Did it work? Then he felt her warmth seep into him and he wrapped his arms around her and crushed her to his chest.

_She’s still here. I can’t believe she’s still here. I can’t let her go. I won’t._

“Oliver.”

He didn’t respond. He just put his nose to her hair and breathed her in. He kissed her temple and buried his face in her neck. She smelled so wonderful and felt so warm. He wanted to hold her forever.

“Oliver, you need to let me go.”

The words put him in a sudden panic. She wanted him to let go? Was that a rejection? Of course it was. She didn’t want someone as broken and unhinged as him. Opening himself up like this had left him raw and exposed. He couldn’t compartmentalize his feelings. They were overwhelmed him, causing him to puller her in tighter.

“I can’t.”

“Oliver, you need to let-“

“No. No, no, no, no. Please Felicity. Please.”

Her fingers carded through his hair and even in his panicked state, he couldn’t believe how good it felt. She did it again and his fears lessened. With each movement, he felt his fear dissipating. She did this to him. She helped anchor him, keep him grounded when he couldn’t do it himself.

“Oliver, calm down,” she whispered, her voice calm and light. “I don’t mean let go like that. I just mean let me go so I can see your face.”

“Oh.”

He let his arms fall to her slides, but he didn’t let her go. He needed to make sure she wanted this too. He realized he hadn’t asked her to be with him yet and just let his head fall, resting it against her forehead. Felicity’s hands were still on his neck, keeping herself connected to him.

“Felicity, do you remember when I said I couldn’t be in a relationship with someone I really care about?”

“Yes,” she said, moving her hands back into his hair.

“I was wrong.”

Having calmed down enough to let her go, Oliver realized what he had to do. He had to say this right, without her as a crutch. He wanted her to see that he could do this. He slowly backed up, away from her touch. She looked concerned but he made sure that she saw his determination. He had to say this next part without being affected by her. He needed her to understand that this would be her choice. He wasn’t going to push her.

“I want to be with you. I want to be by your side as your partner, your friend, and more. I want to be the one that you tell about your day, even the things that may hurt. I will never lie to you again. You deserve that much. I will always protect you and keep you safe. I’m going to have a hard time opening up about my time away, but I promise you I will try.” He took another deep breath and took down the walls again. “I don’t want you to think that you have to be with me. Your position at QC and on the team will never be in jeopardy. No matter what you choose, just know that if it makes you happy, I will support you.”

Oliver watched her as he finished, looking for a sign, something that would let him know her choice. He hoped it would be him, but he was just so damaged. It would make perfect sense for someone like her to not want to be with him. She was just so beautiful, inside and out.  

Then her mouth was on his in the most wonderful kiss he had ever experienced. It was hard, passionate, born from a mix of fear and relief. He kissed her back just as greedily, getting lost in the feeling of her lips against his. His hands moved to frame her face and her felt hers grip his jacket. The kiss grew less and less intense, but the emotion behind it increased. By the end, his lips were just barely pressed to hers, a featherlight touch that connected them to each other. It was the most intimate moment he had ever experienced.

They broke apart and he pressed his forehead to hers, trying to keep some contact with her now that he had gotten the words out. She cupped his face and looked into his eyes. He knew what she would see. He didn’t have anymore defenses against her. His heart and soul were bared. They belonged to her in that moment. He hung onto that moment, clinging to it for dear life. If it slipped away, then so would she, and he wasn’t sure if he could survive that.

“You can’t pull back on me,” she whispered. “You can’t be close to be me one minute and miles away the next. If we’re together, then we are together. You don't get to push me away when it’s convenient or it gets hard. I will always be here for you, but you have to let me. Deal?”

“Deal,” he said.

“Good. Because I don’t think I would be ok without you anymore.” Felicity’s eyes shone like diamonds, reflecting the moonlight and the shifting light from the snow. She kissed him softly, a whisper of a kiss that took his breath away.

“I love you, Oliver.”

“What?” He didn’t hear that right. It sounded too good to be true.

She just shook her head and nuzzled him. He could get used to that.

“I said I love you Oliver Jonas Queen. I love you as The Arrow. I love you as Oliver Queen CEO. I love you as Oliver Queen the brother, Oliver Queen the friend, and Oliver Queen the son. But most of all, I love you as just Oliver.” She paused for a moment and whispered the next words like a secret. “ _My_ Oliver.”

He felt something well up inside of him, a warmth that spread from his heart all through his body. At the same moment, he felt something shift inside him. Suddenly, everything made sense. He knew what he wanted, what he needed. He needed Felicity and there was nothing in this life that would keep him away from her.

He was hers now.

“I’m sure that we will have our fair share of problems,” she said, “actually we may end with way more than that. But I won’t run away from you. I’ll fight with you, make up with you, and stay with you for as long as you want-”

“Forever,” he whispered, blurting out the answer to her unasked question. “I’m yours Felicity. My heart, my body, my mind; they’re all yours. I’m not going anywhere.”

She pulled him closer until they were chest to chest. He reveled in that feeling, and felt that same warmth fill him again. With it came a strength he never knew he had; the strength to be open and vulnerable with someone. He wasn’t scared anymore. He would give Felicity everything he could. He felt like a person again, after everything that had happened to him. And it was all her doing.

He pressed his lips to hers, needing her to know how strongly that he felt. The kiss wasn’t too hard or soft, but it was intense. Oliver poured all the love he felt into the kiss. All of the small moments together, the simple touches, the warm looks, even the moments they shared in bed; nothing compared to this. Oliver felt like he could fly, yet he was rooted to the ground. He could lift a car, yet his touch was a gentle as possible. Felicity made him feel it all. It was amazing.

He broke the kiss but she chased his lips for one more small kiss. It made him smile.

“Why don’t we go back inside? It’s getting really cold out here.”

“What? No. I just got you. I can’t share you yet,” she said.

“Felicity, you don’t have to share me. I will never belong to anyone but you. But we have to start learning how to be in public. Otherwise I’ll never get through another board meeting without getting up to make out with you in the middle of it.”

Felicity hummed and buried her face in his chest. Apparently she liked that idea as much as he did.

“Also, we can do this in front of people now. Plus, it’s warm inside and I’m assuming that a sweater and jeans is not as warm as you would like.”

“True.”

“So inside?”

“Yes. But first, this.”

Felicity grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him in for a searing kiss. It actually shorted out his brain for a moment. He couldn’t think, couldn’t move. All he knew was that this kiss felt different for the others. This one was needy, possessive and full of a heat that set his blood on fire. He stopped thinking. He needed more of Felicity, more of this. Nothing else mattered.

Her tongue swiped at his lower lip and he opened to her, deepening the kiss as he pulled her closer, one hand on her back and the other in her hair. She fought for dominance with him, tongues battling as they tried to get closer to each other. Her hands moved up his chest to frame his face. Her nails scraped across the stubble on his cheeks. He growled, the sound coming from deep in his chest, an almost animalistic noise. He heard her whimper in response and it flooded him with possessiveness he had never felt before. This woman was his and only his. He wouldn’t let anyone else have her.

Oliver took a step back and felt himself tip over. The snow unbalanced him and he fell, taking Felicity with him. When the moment of surprise passed, he broke the kiss and pulled her head to his chest as hit hit the snow, cradling her against him. She squealed, and fell on top of him. Her head snapped up and she whipped it back and forth, a dazed look on her face.

“What? What happened? Why is there snow? Where are the pillow mountains?”

Oliver laughed, he couldn’t help it. She was absolutely adorable. The laughter carried out over the landscape, muffled by the fallen snow. It softened the sound, but it couldn't be mistaken for anything other than joyous. Felicity looked back at him in confusion, but the happiness he felt must have shown, because she smiled just as wide as him.

“God I love you,” she said, as he brushed a stray hair behind her head.

“I love you too Felicity,” he whispered. She laid her head on his chest and he kissed her temple.

“Um. Can we go inside now? There’s water in my sock.”

“Anything for you, мой красивый свет.”

***

They returned to the mansion hand in hand, fingers laced together. They hadn’t made it all the way through the door before Felicity was hit by a running hug from Thea. His sister squeezed Felicity so tight that Oliver thought she might pass out. But when she let go, the two women had such bright smiles on their faces that he couldn’t help by smile himself. He let go of Felicity so she could link arms with Thea.

“Sorry Ollie, but we have serious girl talk to do. No boys allowed,” Thea said. She stuck her tongue out at him and laughed, pulling Felicity away. Oliver watched them go, the smile lingering on his face. He didn’t notice his aunt and uncle approach until Travis’ calloused hand clapped him on the shoulder. He turned and saw them, along with his mother, looking at him with a smile that match his own.

“I’m proud of you son. That was a helluva declaration.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oliver darling, you shouted ‘I love you’ loudly enough that everyone here heard it. Though they would have known from the smile on your face,” Marissa said with a teasing lilt in her voice. “Well done. That young woman is special.”

Oliver looked back toward Felicity with a wistful look.

“Yes,” he said softly, “she is.”

He turned back to his family, and found his mother looking at him with tears in her eyes. Marissa took that as their cue to leave and she led Travis away toward Felicity and Thea. She slowly closed the distance between them and hugged him, just as she had in the hospital when he first returned home.

“My beautiful boy,” she whispered in his ear. “I am so proud of you.”

“Thanks, Mom. I think I finally got it right.”

Moira pulled back and held onto his arm. “Oliver, that young woman has done more for you than anyone else I have seen you with. The two of you remind me of my sister and Travis. Though you two have far more on your plate than they did." Her expression grew serious. "Will you relationship affect your night work?”

The question surprised him, but it wasn't shocking. Felicity had told him about her conversation with her mother that night. It had scared him then, but he had gotten used to the idea by now.

“Mom, how long have you known?” 

Moira paused, blinking several times before continuing. “You don’t seem surprised. I assume Felicity told you?”

“The same day. But that still doesn’t answer my question,” he said, not unkindly. “How long?”

“Since the Undertaking. Perhaps longer. And I could not be more proud of you.”

“What?”

“Oliver, you survived a hell I cannot imagine and returned with the intention to do good, to help others who need you. You give your body and your soul to the city with no regard for their opinion. You don’t seek accolades. You do it because it is right. That man is worthy of all the good things he has. Including the love of a wonderful woman.” His mother gently cupped his cheek. “You are worthy of love and happiness. You deserve it. You deserve her. Just make sure she understands that you know.”

Oliver couldn’t hold back the wave of emotion he felt. The tears formed before he could stop them, so he wrapped his arms around his mother and hugged her tight. She always knew what to say, knew what he was thinking about. Even when he had tried to cut himself off from other people, she had found him and tried to help him. She knew he was worried about how to be with Felicity, if he could ever be worthy of her. And just like that, she told him exactly what he needed to hear.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

Moira pulled away and smiled at him.

“Someone else wants to talk to you. I will give you some privacy.”

Moira turned and left, leaving Oliver alone. A small set of arms closed around his waist and a now familiar warmth seeped into his bones. He turned in her arms and kissed the top of Felicity's head. It amazed him how easily she managed to calm him. A simple touch was enough to tame him, something he was both thankful for and afraid of. It scared him a little just how much power she had over him after just a few minutes of letting himself go. Then again, maybe that was the point. He didn’t always have to have control anymore. He had someone he could lean on when things got tough, when he didn’t know to do or feel. She would be there to help him, to bring him to his feet and walk forward with him. She was his other half.

“So I just talked to Mom about our night work.”

“Oh? How did that go?”

“I think it went well. She told me she was proud of what we did.” He kissed the top of her head again, unable to stop himself. “She told me that I deserved to be happy, that I deserved you. I just want to proved her right.”

“You will,” she said. “In fact, I’d say you already have.”

Oliver smiled down at her and kissed her forehead.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” she said.

They shared a soft kiss, though it did not stay soft for long. The passion they felt outside returned tenfold. One second his lips were barely touching hers, then her tongue was down his throat. He lost track of time again, this time fighting himself for control. He was barely holding on and if he let go, things were going to get very inappropriate, very fast.

A throat cleared behind them. They broke apart, both of their faces flushed and breathing heavily. Tommy stood next to them, trying to fight the growing smirk on his face.

“I know you guys are really happy to, you know, be together, but maybe you shouldn’t show everyone how happy you are, huh? Also, if you’re going to make this a habit Ollie, start putting a sock over your door, or maybe some shades over your office windows or something. Warn a guy.”

Oliver wasn’t listening. He was focused on Felicity and the desire swirling in her eyes. He knew it mirrored his. He grabbed her hand and pulled her away, making for the car port. Tommy was absolutely right. Nobody wanted to see what he wanted to do to Felicity.

He promised himself that as soon as they got back to Provincetown, he would show her _exactly_ how happy she made him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we have Official Olicity! I hope that was worth the wait. This chapter was actually an unpublished one shot that was completely unrelated to whole story. I changed the timeline and dialogue, but kept the moonlit kiss in the snow. It was too good to pass up.
> 
> I want to make a disclaimer now. There will be no more angst in this story. If that is your thing, I'm sorry. 
> 
> And I'm pretty sure you guys know whats coming next. Things are about to get...resolved ;)


	10. Talking Body

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shameless Smut. The whole goddamn chapter. Wall sex. Sex in the bed. There are no pillars so there cannot be pillar sex. Gonna be trash. Sorry not sorry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See Chapter Summary.

The drive back from the Dearden estate was long. Way too long. She wanted to touch him again. She needed to feel him again. Her fingertips still tingled from running through his hair. She itched to do it again, to grab a handful and  _ pull.  _ The noise he made when she tugged a little had almost made her wet And by almost, she meant completely and instantly. What would happen if she really grabbed? What would he sound like? Would it shoot straight to her core like the last noise? She needed to know. He was like a drug, one hit and she was already addicted.

The problem was that Oliver hadn’t looked at her once since they got in the car. She could almost see the tension rolling off of him in waves. His jaw was clenched so tight that his teeth were starting to grind. His grip on the steering wheel was white knuckled, and his other hand gripped the gearshift like a vice. His eyes focused on the road and only the road. Felicity felt annoyance and a tiny bit of fear starting to creep in. He said he loved her, which was amazing. He had kissed her like his life depended on it, which had been  _ more  _ amazing. But now, he wouldn’t even look at her. No, it was more like he was trying to forget she was there. That was not allowed. She was here, she wanted him, and if he wouldn’t pay attention to her, then damn it she would make him.

She reached out and put her hand on his, the one wrapped around the gearshift. He flinched at her touch. He didn’t move his hand away, but he didn’t try to take her hand. Ok, now she really was annoyed. The push and pull was not OK. If they were going to do this, it was not going to start with him refusing her. Marissa’s voice popped into her head. “That boy is too blind to see what’s in front of him. Go show him what he needs.”

_ Yes ma’am. _

Felicity pried Oliver’s hand away from the shifter and moved it to her lips. She kissed the back of his hand and each knuckle before putting his palm against her cheek. She reveled in the warmth of his hand, feeling his calloused fingers gently press against her skin. Oliver made a small noise, something between a contented sigh and a moan. Felicity smiled against his palm and placed a small open mouthed kiss there. The sound came again, sounding much more like a moan this time. Her smile turned devilish and felt a rush of power. She had the control here. She could do whatever she wanted, and he would just have to sit there and take out it. Felicity knew this wasn’t the best idea when he was driving at…110 miles per hour. Holy shit. He was going 70 a minute ago. What happened?

_ You happened. _

Oliver was driving faster because of her. He was trying to keep his hands off of her while he drove. He wouldn’t touch her while he drove so he could concentrate. If it only took kissing his hand to make him this crazy, what else could she do? How far could she push him?

“Felicity, if you want to make it back to Provincetown in one piece, then you need to stop.”

“Why would I stop when I can finally touch you? Nope, not stopping. I want your hands on me. And if you don't put them there then I will.”

Oliver smiled and tensed at the same time. How was it possible to look happy but be that stressed? He needed to relax.

Felicity slowly dragged his hand down her cheek until it reached her neck. She let his fingers linger there, feeling them twitch as Oliver tried to resist caressing her like he wanted. She move down further and further, achingly slow, moaning softly at the sensations. Oliver made a strangled sound in the back of his throat when she reached the base of her neck and gently ran his hand across her collarbone.

“Fel-i-ci-ty,” he growled.

Oh, that was nice. Growling Oliver was really nice. She whimpered quietly, trying and failing to hide how turned on she was. How far could she take this? No clothes were coming off until they got back to the room, which at their current speed would not be long. She wouldn’t be able to get off that quick, so moving his hand further down her body was out…but she could still move it down some more.

Felicity brought his hand down to the top of her dress and Oliver spread his fingers across the exposed part of her chest, suddenly very interested in touching her. His hand felt fantastic against her skin. She could still feel little traces of fire where his fingers had been, but that was nothing compared to Oliver actually trying to touch her. Knowing he was doing it on his own made is  _ so  _ much better.

She got lost in the feeling for what seemed like seconds before she felt the car come to an abrupt halt. She looked around and saw the Brass Key in front of her. When did they get back? Had she been that out of it? Before she could answer those questions she was being hauled out of the car by Oliver. He lifted her and shut the door, immediately shoving her up against it and kiss the crap out of her. She moaned into his mouth and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him to her. She swiped her tongue across his lower lip and he responded immediately, opening for her. He put his hands on her ass and squeezed, sending a shot desire straight to her core. He lifted her and she wrapped her legs around him. The glass felt cold against her back but she didn’t care. All she cared about was kissing Oliver. This kiss was everything she could want it to be. It was loving and passionate and oh so addicting. She felt that fire again like she had in the car. This time it was all over her, making her feel like she was going to combust. She needed more of him.

Oliver must have felt the same because he pulled her away from the car and began walking toward the stairs. She felt herself start to slip and she leaned back, pulling her lips off of his. He chased her mouth, not willing to let her go for even a second. She pushed on his chest lightly and he relented. She was panting hard, her chest rising and falling, her chest rubbing against his with each labored breath. She took him in for a moment, marveling at just how different he looked. His eyes were wide, his pupils were blown, and he was breathing just as hard as her.

“Oliver,” she said breathlessly, “maybe you should put me down. Just until we get up the –“

His answer was to kiss her again, a searing kiss that forced her to respond. He moved his left arm around her hips, pinning her to him and put his right hand in her hair, keeping her in place. Then he started to move again. He walked her up the stairs, holding her with just one arm, while kissing her. He didn’t even have to look where he was going. In typical Oliver fashion, he did something both pigheaded and amazing. It was incredibly hot.

Each step he took pushed her against his crotch for just a moment, but that moment was enough to be aware of the tent in his pants. She knew he wanted her, but knowing it and feeling it were two very different things. Each step Oliver took pushed her a little higher and a little higher until they reached the door. By that point, she couldn’t hold back a whimper when he pressed her against the door, putting himself exactly where she wanted him. He rolled his hips once and the contact sent a jolt of electricity flowing through her. Her grip on his hair tightened, and she tugged, forcing him to lift his chin. She abandoned his lips for his neck and immediately went to work on it. She kissed the exposed skin, placing small bites near his collar and sucking on the skin just below it. She heard and felt the rumble of approval in his chest and he pushed completely against the door. Now it was his turn to kiss down her neck.

“I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” he said, a breathless whisper laced with lust.

He latched onto her neck and kissed a route down to her pulse point, sucking on it and moving back up. He reached a spot behind and below her ear. He gently bit down and sucked on the spot and Felicity’s head fell back. She felt a wave of need crash over her and it moaned into his ear. He liked that sound because he moaned against her neck and rolled his hips against her. That prompted another moan from her then one from him. Felicity was sure if she didn’t get inside soon they would never make it.

“Oliver. Open the door. Now.”  

He kept kissing her neck while he removed his right hand to dig around in his pocket for the keys. Felicity whined, tugging on his hair again. It really was as soft as she thought it would be. And it was quite tuggable. Oliver also seemed to like it, but Felicity realized too late that she had started the loop again.

“Oliver. The door.”

Suddenly they were in the room and she was pressed into the other side of the door. At least that meant it was closed. Her sweater was gone before she got a chance to think about it and Oliver was on her, kissing and nipping along her collarbone. He positioned her so he was resting against his thighs, his knees slightly bent. She slipped her hand behind her and took off her bra with a flourish. He stared at her, drinking her in, distracted only for a second as he pulled his henley over his head.

Felicity ran her hands all over his chest, mapping every inch of him with her eyes and her hands. She wanted to remember this. This was the first time she really got to touch him, the first of many. It meant everything. She wanted to savor it. She touched his scars and his unmarred skin in equal measure. Every part of him was beautiful to her. She hoped she could make him see that. She leaned down to press a kiss to his Bratva tattoo, slow and deliberate. She did the same to the bullet wound he got from his mother, placing open mouthed kisses to every scar she could reach. She took his hand and brought it to her lips, kissing the small scars on his knuckles. She nuzzled her face against his palm and felt his fingers gently cup her face.

“I love you,” she said, her voice a gentle whisper. It still felt strange to say it out loud, to give voice to something she had kept to herself for so long. But it felt wonderful to say it, especially to Oliver. She looked up, away from his abs, and gasped. His eyes were a swirl of so many emotions. Lust, guilt, happiness, apprehension, but most of all love. She had been seeing that for weeks without really thinking about it. Now that she had a name for it, she recalled all those loaded looks and gentle touches. He had been saying it without actually saying it.

“I love you Felicity,” he said. The emotion in his voice made her shiver. He picked her up again and carried her to the bed, setting her down. He kept himself suspended above her and kissed down her neck.

“I love you,” he said, whispering it against her skin. He kissed down her chest, between her breasts and down her stomach, saying “I love you,” against her skin after each one. By the time he reached top of her jeans, the words were tattooed on her skin. She felt overwhelmed by love for this man and she knew that it was returned. Whatever came next, they would get through it together.

Oliver flicked the button on her jeans, letting them fall open in front of him. That overwhelming love flipped to desire so fast it made her head spin. She looked down and saw his face almost between her legs, staring at the newly exposed skin like a starving man. A wave of heat washed over her and when he gently bit the skin above her hipbone, she couldn’t hold back a moan. Oliver grabbed her jeans and underwear at the same time and started pulling them down, moving slowly, taking time to kiss and nip at every bit of newly exposed skin that appeared. Her jeans got stuck because of the bed, and she whined. Oliver moved his hands under her, pulling again and taking the opportunity to suck on the skin of her inner thigh while grabbing generous handfuls of her ass and squeezing. Felicity put her hands on his shoulders, needing to feel him. She ran her hands all over him, every part that she could reach. She carded her fingers through his hair, pulling when he squeezed her ass again.

Felicity threw her head back and closed her eyes when she felt his mouth so close to her core. Normally she would be slightly embarrassed about doing this with someone she hadn’t been with before, but when Oliver bit her hip bone again, she stopped caring entirely. She felt wetness pooling at the sensation of his teeth and the stubble on her skin. One of his hands made its way to her breasts and palmed it. The sensation made her whine and suddenly his tongue was on her, licking a long trail along her center. She cried out and he rolled her nipple between his fingers, making her feel like she flying.

“God, you taste amazing,” he said. His voice was deep and raspy, reminding her of his Arrow voice. It was absolutely amazing. He tasted her again, still playing with her breast, and she pulled on his hair, trying to keep herself grounded, needing to hold onto something. Oliver moved his left hand to her breast and brought his right hand down to join his mouth. He swiped his thumb over her clit and she bucked her hips, crying out at the sudden jolt of pleasure that assaulted her. He did it again, adding his fingers to the mix. She bucked her hips uncontrollably, desperate for some kind of friction.

“Oliver…please,” she said, her voice a breathless whisper laced with desire. She felt him smile against her skin.

He continued his ministrations, using his mouth, his tongue, his fingers, even his stubble to make her climb her higher and higher. She was a writhing mass of limbs, unable to do anything but hold on as Oliver worked her. She was so close to flying apart, but he never let her, building her up more and more. She felt him move a finger to her entrance, and she knew when he did, she wouldn’t be able to take it. That thought gave her strength and grabbed his wrist. Oliver froze completely for a moment, before backing up. She tugged on his wrist, feeling a mix of confusion and annoyance at the space between them.

“Are you alright,” Oliver asked, his voice laced with concern, “do you want me to stop?”

“God, no! That was amazing. There is going to be a lot more of that in the future if I have anything to say about it, which I do since we’re in a relationship and people in relationships have equal say in their sex lives. I just felt like I was about to-“ she paused briefly, debating on whether or not keep talking. She watched a slow smile grow on Oliver’s face, one that showed his dimples and reached all the way to his eyes. That smile made her feel gooey every single time. 

_ No more holding back, remember Smoak? _

Right. “I just felt like I was about to come and if that’s the case, which it is, I want you inside me, not your fingers.”

Oliver’s smile disappeared, replaced with a very intense stare. His eyes went from blue to black in an instant, and his jaw clenched so hard she swore she could hear the muscles straining.

“You can’t saw things like that Felicity,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Why not?”

“Because I won’t be able to stop myself.”

“Then don’t,” she said. “Oliver, I want you. I don’t want just the part of you that is considerate or passionate or whatever. I want all of you.” She grinned devilishly, crooking her finger gesturing for him to come to her. “So take off your clothes and come and get me.”

Oliver shucked his pants and underwear so fast Felicity almost missed it. She saw him, for just a moment, standing in front of her completely naked. He was absolutely gorgeous, all coiled strength and chiseled muscle. The scars stood out even more now, but they just made him more beautiful to her. He reached down and grabbed a condom from his wallet, giving Felicity a quick glance at his ass, and then he was on her, kissing her like there was no tomorrow. His tongue demanded entrance and she complied, tasting herself on his lips. She groaned at the taste, feeling herself building again. She hadn’t had a chance to move before his hands were on her and he lifted her again, taking her from the bed and  pinning her to the nearest wall. He tried to open the condom, but she took it from him before he could and ripped it open with her teeth. She felt his cock twitch and move over her clit and she rolled her hips, trying to chase the feeling.

“Oliver. I need you inside me yesterday.”

He rolled the condom on as she held onto his shoulders and plunged inside her, giving her exactly what she wanted.

“God yes,” she whispered when he filled her. She didn’t move and neither did he, both of them taking a moment to enjoy being connected for the first time. She didn’t say anything, but she also needed the time to collect herself. She had almost come just from him entering her. She wanted more than just this. A lot more.

Oliver started moving slowly, stroking in and out of her. Her head fell back against the wall, her fingering gripping his shoulders tightly as waves of pleasure rocked her. This was different from his tongue; slower and more methodical, but god it was  _ so  _ much better. She felt him still as he pulled almost all the way out then thrust in again, his pelvic bone lightly brushing against her clit, making her roll her hips. Oliver growled, a low rumble that she heard and felt, and he thrust into her harder. He built up his pace, each thrust slightly faster than the last but just as hard. The sound of flesh slapping against flesh filled the room, and Felicity felt the tension coiling low in her belly. She didn’t recognize any of the sounds she was making, but she could hear Oliver whispering her name as he panted against her neck.

He hiked her up higher on the wall, changing the angle and bending his knees. He grabbed her ass and pulled her down as he thrust up, reaching deeper and hitting the perfect spot. She cried out in pleasure, knowing she wouldn’t last long like this. Oliver slammed into her over and over again, his fingers digging into her skin. He gripped her so hard that she was sure she would have bruises in the morning. But she kept trying to press herself down harder, meeting him thrust for thrust, chasing her climax. She pressed her the heels of her feet into his ass, trying to bring him into her even more.  It hit her abruptly, a huge wave of pleasure caused by Oliver hitting that spot, squeezing her ass hard and whispering “I love you” in her ear.

“Oh God, Oliver! Oliver!”

She came with a shout, wrapping herself around him as much as she could to keep from flying away. The waves kept coming, and Oliver kept going, thrusting into her as she rode out her orgasm. When she finally came down she fell forward against his chest, breathing heavily, taking heavy gasping breaths. She held onto him like her life depended on it, needing to feel him there with her. Oliver slowly moved back to the bed, still inside her, each step sending a small aftershock rippling through her. She whined with each one, twitching a little. He set her down on the bed and pulled out of her. She whined again, this time at the loss of contact. She watched him throw away the condom and climb into bed with her. She rolled over to him, throwing her leg over him and nestling her head onto his chest. He wrapped arm around her and slowly moved it over her skin, tracing from the base of her spine down the curve of her ass and back.

“So,” she said, “you like my ass, huh?”

“No,” he said, laughter in his voice, “I love your ass. Very different feeling.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“I’m just being honest. It feels good to know I don’t have to keep any of this to myself anymore, that this isn’t some fantasy I had when I was watching you at your desk. And, maybe it means we can play out a few of the other fantasies I’ve had.”

“Really now?”

“Yup. I’ll even let you do some of yours. Sound fair?”

“I think it’s up for negotiation,” she said, moving to kiss him. Her leg knocked against his erection and Oliver hissed, but tried to cover it.

“Wait. You’re still like this?”

“Yeah, I, uh…I didn’t actually get off,” he said sheepishly.

“Oliver-“

“Felicity, it’s ok. I don’t care.”

“It’s not ok, and I do care,” she said, smiling down at him. “We each have a say in our sex lives remember? I am instituting a rule effective immediately.”

“A rule?” Oliver asked, though his tone was playful.

“Mhmm. New Olicity sex rule… stop laughing. Thea got the name stuck in my head.” She gently hit his chest, and shook her head when he feigned injury with a soft “ow.”

“What is this new sex rule?”

“Olicity sex rule.”

“I’m not calling it that Felicity.”

“Too bad. Olicity sex rule one; both parties must orgasm. If they don’t, the offending party owes the other something non sex related as compensation.”

“Like a satellite or mint chip.”

“Exactly. So, in accordance with rule one, you still have to get off before we’re done.”

Felicity swung her leg completely over him and took his cock in her hand. Oliver’s head fell back and he let out a satisfied groan.

“ _ Fe-li-ci-ty, _ ” he whined, “I don’t have any more condoms on me.”

“Oliver I know you’re clean. I’ve done your bloodwork enough times to know. I’m clean too. And I’ve been on the pill since I was 18, thank you Mom. And I will never mention her during sex again. So you don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Then why did you-“ he said, but she put a finger to his lips and stroked him once. That took all the fight out of him as his hands flew to her hips. She sat up little straighter and smiled down at him.

“I will never stop someone from trying to have safe sex. Now, you just sit there and let me take care of you.”

Felicity positioned him at her entrance and slowly slid down onto him, taking him in inch by inch until he filled her to the hilt. He let out a loud moan, once that sent a wave of heat flowing through her. His face was contorted as he tried to hold back. She couldn’t have that. She ran her hands down his chest, leaving them on his abs and pushed herself up and bringing herself back down. Oliver’s entire body reacted, tensing and moving. She felt his abs flex under her fingers. Oliver choked out her name, pleading for more. The desperation in his voice filled her with pride and a sense of power. She was the one that made him moan. She was the one who made him beg for more.

She rolled her hips slowly, keeping a gentle pace, fascinated by the play of emotions on his face. He fought to keep it together, but he was barely holding on. Felicity leaned down and kissed up his neck to his ear. He thrust into her, but she clamped down on him to keep him from moving.

“Oliver,” she whispered in his ear, “give it to me. Let go. I want you to let go.” She bit his earlobe tugged a little. He cried out and she felt him twitch inside her. Oliver Queen liked dirty talk. Good to know.

“Oliver, please. I want you,” she said, and was rewarded with another cry. It was time to go in for the kill. “I love you.”

He screamed her name as he came, pushing her down onto him so hard it almost hurt. He turned his head and attacked her with a searing kiss. It was all desperate tongue and wild passion, the kiss of a man losing himself in someone. Felicity framed his face and kissed him back just as hard. He held her there for what felt like hours, until finally he went slack under her. She climbed down off of him and took him in. He looked completely relaxed, something she had not seen before. He looked so happy at that moment and she felt another burst of pride knowing that it was because of her.

He rolled out of bed and walked over to the bathroom area. He came back with a wet cloth and stopped in front of her.

“May I?”

She smiled and nodded, opening her legs slightly. Oliver bent down and cleaned her, kissing along her shoulder as he went. He took the cloth back to the bathroom and she climbed under the blankets. He returned to the bed and climbed in behind her, immediately wrapping his arm around her hip and tangling his legs with hers. He kissed the back of her neck and she moved backwards into his chest, shifting to be as close to him as possible.

“Good night Felicity.”

She let out a small, content sigh. “Good night Oliver.”

Marissa had been right. All told, today had been a pretty good day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was my first real attempt at smut. Hopefully that all made sense. See you guys next week! 
> 
> As always, please let me know what you think!


	11. Sunday Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity face a hard truth, Felicity dresses to impress and learns that the bride and groom aren't all bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO READERS!!! WE ARE BACK!!!
> 
> After an extremely long hiatus that involved life being an ass, the holidays, and several other issues, we are back with another chapter of When Did I Become A Cliche. This is the penultimate chapter folks; only one more to go after this!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has stuck through my long absences and stayed with the story. Your dedication means the world to me and all the people who help make this story happen. We wouldn't be able to do this without you. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
> 
> As always, thank you to my internet family, @nvwhovian and @the-silverforked-sky for making me write and helping me edit. You girls are the best. 
> 
> Also, I have an announcement to make. But that's after the story ;0

 

Felicity woke to a gentle touch along her back. She had been having the most wonderful dream about Oliver and a night of passion so heavy she swore it was real. Then she felt calloused fingers trace up and down her spine. Her own fingers flitted across the broad expanse of skin beneath her, stopping at the Bratva tattoo and just above his abs. His heartbeat felt strong and steady under her touch. She couldn’t stop the slow smile from growing.

She knew that his heart beat for her now, the same way hers beat for him. She was in love with Oliver Queen and he loved her back. She felt the smile grow bigger as she thought back to the previous night. Making love with Oliver had been amazing, which she had always imagined it would be, but it had also been eye opening. She had always imagined that he would be rough, aggressive even. He had been, but not until she told him it was ok. He cared more about her pleasure than he did about his own. He wasn’t like anyone she had even been with. She wondered about what it will be like outside their bubble. What would happen when they returned to Starling City? Would he want things to go back to the way they were before the trip? Would he reestablish their status quo of long looks and hidden feelings? Oh God, what if he just completely rejected her?

_Of course, that’s what will happen. You know he could never_ really _love you. You’re worthless, unlovable. Why do you think Dad left?_

“You’re thinking too loud.”

She turned into him, nuzzling his neck and breathing deeply, taking comfort in his presence. Oliver turned on his side and wrapped both of his arms around her, pulling her in tight. The world around them disappeared and all that mattered was them, cuddled together under this blanket. The little voices in her head were silenced, replaced by Oliver’s voice screaming “I love you”. Felicity felt herself drifting back into thoughts of a bed like this in Star City, one they would share. They would stay in bed until noon on Sundays, just holding each other like this, surrounded by a cocoon of warmth and peace. They would eat pancakes and spend the whole day alternating between making love and bingeing shows from her Netflix queue. Then they would get ready for work the next-

“Ohmygodwe’redating,” she said in a rush.

“Yes,” Oliver responded nonchalantly, seeming to miss the implications of that. Or maybe he didn’t understand what she said because it all came out as one word.

“No Oliver, you don’t understand. We are _dating._ You and me. Together. As a couple. In a relationship.”

“Well I hope so. I don’t want to be together with you separately.”

Felicity tried to sit up, but Oliver simply pulled her to his chest and kissed her forehead. She melted a little at the touch of his lips against her skin. Her worries started to melt away as she lost herself in his warmth.

“Yes,” he whispered, “we are dating. Yes, people will talk when they find out. No, it will not change anything about how I feel about you. No one will get in our way. I won’t let them.”

“Oliver, you don’t understand,” she said. Felicity shed her cocoon and moved to look at him. She supported her weight on her elbows and looked down at him. Oliver took the opportunity to pull her on top of him. She followed willingly, allowing her body to rest on top of him. She placed her hands on his chest and rested her chin on top of them as she looked into his eyes.

“People in the office talk about me behind my back. They think I don’t hear them when they call me a whore, but I do. They think I only got my job on my knees. Those ideas won’t go away if people know we are dating. They’ll just propagate faster.”

“Felicity, I won’t let anyone attack you like that. I’ll- “

“You will do nothing.”

“Felicity- “

“I said no.”

“ _Fe-li-ci-ty_ I- “

“Oliver Jonas Queen you will not do or say anything about this. Promise me you won’t.”

Oliver stared her down, much like he did in the Foundry. She saw the anger there, but it wasn’t directed at her. It was directed at all the catty secretaries in the lunchroom who talked about her skirts being too short and her hair too blonde. It was directed at the men in the Marketing department who leered at her in the elevator and joked about her prowess with her tongue. It was directed at the barely legal interns who dressed like office sluts in hopes to “get a job just like _she_ did.” Oliver would never know about any of it, but she knew he would try his best to fight it. She loved him for it, but this was not a battle he could fight. She was on her own.

“I promise. But we are not done talking about this,” he said.

He pulled her into a kiss, tender and loving. The moment his tongue swept across her bottom lip, Felicity felt the fire in her belly roar to life. The kiss became more and more demanding. She wanted to devour him, have him all to herself.

_He’s mine. No one else can have him. I won’t let them._

She immediately moved to straddle him and she felt his erection beneath her. She let out a groan as she grinded against him, moving slowly to stoke the flames inside her. Oliver sat up quickly, his hands still in her hair and on her hip. The move made his muscles flex and move under her hands and it sent a wave of need crashing through her, making her wet.

“Oliver, we don’t have time for this,” she said, but the words came out as a pant when his hips bucked. He broke from her for just a moment to meet her eyes, asking for permission. Felicity tried to fight it, to keep herself rational, but the almost black eyes that stared at her broke her resolve.

_Fuck it._

She quickly grabbed his length and positioned him at her entrance. Without any warning, without looking away from him, she thrust herself down onto his cock, taking him in completely.

“Oh my _god,”_ she moaned. She stilled, needing a moment to adjust to the feeling him stretching her. She had been so wrapped in the emotions last night that his size hadn’t really registered. Now it almost overwhelmed her, bringing her almost to the point of pain. But after a moment, it felt perfect. This was officially an addiction.

Suddenly she was being lifted into the air as Oliver stood up, his hands moving to her ass and squeezing as he moved. The move was fluid, graceful and insanely hot. It also caused him to move inside her, hitting a particularly sensitive spot. She cried out and molded her lips to his, her tongue invading his mouth. She wanted more of him, needed more of him. The fire in her belly spread from to her fingertips, fueling her desire. She grabbed onto his hair with one hand as her other dug into his back, holding on to him for all she was worth. He moved inside her as they drifted toward the shower and she bit back moans with each step. Felicity lost herself in the pleasure. She barely recognized the sounds she was making, didn’t notice the shower turn on, didn’t even notice the sudden spike of cold from the tiles on her back.

Felicity went from almost drowning in pleasure to crumpled up in a heap on top of Oliver. She heard him moan under her, but it wasn’t a good sound. It snapped Felicity out of her sex haze. She whipped her head around, trying to determine where she was and what was happening. They were both leaning against the tiled wall. Oliver was below her, his arms wrapped around her waist. He had moved to break their fall, and she had ended up on his chest.

“What happened? Why did we fall?”

Oliver looked at her and she saw the blush start to creep up his neck.

“I kind of…lost track of what was happening and I…lost my balance.”

Felicity started giggling, which grew to a chuckle, and eventually a full-bodied laugh. She rolled off Oliver and pounded her fist on the tile, laughing so hard that she started to cry. He looked annoyed for a moment, but her laughter was contagious and soon he joined her. They lay like that for several minutes, the warm water washing over them as they snickered.

“That may just be the funniest thing that has ever happened to me,” Felicity said with a squeak.

Oliver just shook his head. “You should be proud. The last person who made lose focus like that was torturing me. He gave me the knife wound your hand is on right now.”

Felicity snapped her eyes to Oliver, afraid of what she would see. Instead of the brooding, closed off man she expected, she found him staring at her with a small smile and a twinkle in his eye.

“It still hurts to remember,” he said, reading her mind, “but with you here, it’s easier.”

Felicity reached out, compelled by a powerful need to be close to him and protect him. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. She held him just as tightly, pressing light kisses to his cheek and jaw.

“What do you say to actually taking a shower? I don’t wanna turn into a prune,” she teased.

“Do I have to let you go,” he whispered.

“Nope.”

“Deal.”

***

They arrived at the mansion for the rehearsal dinner, which was really a formal event instead of a dinner. Felicity had brought a cute yellow dress and simple heels for the day, but her paranoia concerning the ultra-wealthy had also forced her to bring her red formal dress and spare heels. Oliver had laughed at her for “over packing” but she refused to be seen without the proper attire. It was her armor and her weapon, something a man who could make a potato sack look sexy would never understand. Though now that she knew what was under the sack, she would have much preferred him not to wear the sack at all.

The dinner wasn’t slated to start until later that evening, giving them time to mingle at a cocktail hour. Felicity took a quick look into the main room to assess everyone’s level of dress. Sure enough, she looked like a pauper among princesses. She immediately stole away to Thea’s room to change, ignoring the confused look Oliver gave her as she left. He didn’t understand what it was like to go into battle like this. For her going in there like this would have been like him going on patrol without this bow and quiver.

She knocked twice on Thea’s door, holding the garment bag over her shoulder. Thea opened the door just wide enough for Felicity to enter and shut as soon as she was through. Felicity looked at her boyfriend’s sister and felt her jaw drop. Thea wore a little black dress like she was born to do it. Apparently, that was the reaction she was hoping for, if the Cheshire Cat smile said anything about it.

“You like it?”

“Thea, you look fantastic!”

“Thank you,” she said with a smile. She grew a little unsure and spoke softly. “Do you think Roy will like it?”

Felicity snorted at that. “Please. Roy won’t be able to take his eyes off you. Nobody will.”

“Fell, that’s a lie,” Thea said, smirking. “That is, if you brought the red dress.”

“Yup,” she said, popping the ‘p’ at the end of the word. She unzipped her bag and pulled out the dress. It was probably her favorite piece from her shopping debacle with Thea. Though she had a hard time choosing a winner between this and the green dress that had made Oliver growl. It was a red chiffon backless dress with a mermaid silhouette and a small train at the bottom. It hugged her body perfectly and made her feel sexy, something she didn’t normally associate with herself. Cute and confident? Sure. Sexy? Not so much. But considering the party going on below her, she needed a boost. The right dress and makeup were the best armor she had.

“Fell, it’s not a fight, you don’t need armor. Jeez, you’re so dramatic,” Thea said with a chuckle. “Besides, the dress makes your ass like amazing. People in there are going to be jealous of Ollie, not you.”

“Hey, you aren’t the one walking into the party after a very public declaration from one of the most eligible bachelor here,” Felicity said, trying not to groan at her lack of brain to mouth filter. “If anything, I need a bomb disposal suit and helmet. But I’d be claustrophobic in that, so this is the next best thing. And yes, it does make my ass look amazing, doesn’t it?”

“A backless dress is the next best thing to full body armor? My family isn’t going to try to kill you.”

“No, but they will stare at me with those judgey, rich people eyes and talk to me in that slightly condescending polite conversations they have.” Felicity sighed. “Remember when I said I was afraid I wasn’t good enough? Well there are close to one hundred people down there who believe that. I’m nothing but an assistant in a dress. And now I have to go down there and act like I’m supposed to be there, that I’m just like them. I can’t do that without some help.” She paused. “My mom taught me that the right outfit and lipstick can open up the world for you. It usually worked for her. I just hope it works for me this time.”

Thea shrugged and smiled, turning to the vanity mirror to finish her makeup. “Come on,” she said, “it’s time to armor up.”

***

Felicity stood at the entrance to the dining hall with Thea, waiting to enter. A butler in tails held them near the front, pausing before introducing them. Felicity just rolled her eyes. This whole dinner was a farce. The bride had wanted it to be a princess ball, which is obviously was not, but Karly had insisted anyway. So, they stood in front of the door while the butler announced them.

“Now entering,” he called out in a tinny voice, “Ms. Thea Dearden Queen and Ms. Felicity Smoak.”

The whole room turned to look at them. Thea took it all in stride appearing not to notice the stares. But Felicity felt them all. She felt their eyes boring into, looking for weakness, assessing her strength, deciding her worth in a single moment. She held her head high and looked out over them as a Queen would. Her hair slightly obscured the view on her right as is was swept over her shoulder in loose waves.

_Don’t be intimidated. You belong here. You belong where Oliver is._

As soon as she thought his name, she found him in the crowd. A young woman stood next to him, trying very hard to flirt with him. She was petting his chest and batting her eyelashes, trying everything she could t get his attention. Felicity couldn’t really blame the poor girl. Oliver was in his second-best tux, the Dolce and Gabbana one. He looked amazing.

Oliver didn’t even know she was there. His eyes never left Felicity. The look on his face could only be described as awe. His mouth hung open slightly and his eyes wide. She zeroed in on him and the room fell away. It was just him looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Felicity stood up taller and gave him a small smile. He returned it with a blinding smile of his own.

She made her way towards him through the crowd. If she had paid more attention to the people around her, she would have noticed the quiet acceptance coming from them. She would have noticed the happy smile from Thea and affectionate smirk from Roy. She would have seen Moira and Marissa watching her with pride as she the sea of people parted around her as though she were a queen. But she didn’t see any of it.

She only had eyes for Oliver.

Oliver gravitated towards her as well, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her in for a kiss the moment he was close enough. It was tender, loving, but with a hint of the fire that she had felt that morning. Her hand moved to the back of his neck to pull him in more and he deepened the kiss. It immediately moved from sweet to borderline inappropriate. Felicity was the one to break the kiss, pulling back just enough to rest her forehead against his. Oliver surprised her by giving her a soft peck on the tip of her nose, followed by the most contented sigh she’d ever heard.

“Hi,” he whispered.

“Hi.”

“I missed you.”

“Oliver, I was gone for thirty minutes.”

“I know.”

He grinned at her and her heart fluttered. He was sexy and sweet at the same time. That type of combination was not fair. Instead of replying, she rested her head against his chest and he kissed the top of her head. The world melted away around her; they were back in bed in Provincetown without a care in the world. This was where she belonged. She belonged with him without anyone else around them.

She leaned up and pressed small kisses along his jaw, pushing up on her tiptoes to reach his ear.

“You’re mine,” she whispered and nibbled on his ear. “Don’t forget it.”

She felt a rumble come from deep inside of Oliver’s chest and his hands gripped her hips tighter. Felicity grinned wickedly. So, Oliver Queen liked being hers. Good. Because there was no way in hell she was going to let anyone have him.

“Oliver,” said the random brunette, “aren’t you going to introduce me?”

Felicity watched several different emotions flicker across; confusion, sadness, annoyance. He tensed under her touch, preparing himself to deal with the rest of the room. Then his mask dropped into place as he turned to face the woman that had intruded on their moment.

“Yes, of course,” he said. Felicity felt his arm tighten around her as he pulled her close, so she wrapped one arm around him and rest her other hand against his chest. As she did, she felt a little bit of tension bleed away from Oliver. It boosted her spirits, knowing that having her there next to him helped him face the more unenjoyable part of his life.

_You belong here. You belong next to him._

“This is-,” Oliver paused, searching for a name. He looked confused and slightly ashamed when he said, “I’m sorry. I’m afraid I don’t remember your name.”

“That’s Susan Williams, darling. You remember her, don’t you? She tried to pull you into a broom closet during my preliminary hearings.”

Moira appeared at Susan’s side, startling the other woman. Felicity bit back a giggle.

“Hello Mrs. Queen,” Susan said. “It’s wonderful to see you again.”

Moira nodded and looked to her right, smiling at Felicity.

“Felicity dear, you look wonderful. Thea was correct about this dress. I really need to stop doubting her choice in fashion.”

“Yes, you do Mo,” said a voice behind them. Marissa appeared at Felicity’s side, just as Moira moved to stand next to Oliver. The four of them stood together, a metaphorical wall of money, power and intelligence. Susan did her best not to look intimidated, but couldn’t hide the involuntary step backwards she took.

“Well, I need to mingle for a few minutes before I leave. It was great to see you Oliver.”

Susan nodded to them before turning on her heel and all but running away from them. Marissa snorted and shook her head. Felicity couldn’t hold back the giggles any longer. Moira smiled and let out a small laugh. Oliver just stood there with his arm wrapped around her, wearing his trademark confused puppy face.

“I don’t remember her at all,” he said.

“It’s probably something you should pay more attention to,” Felicity said as she gently rubbed he back. “She is a reporter for Starling City News. She covers business and politics. We’ll probably see a lot more of her now. Which is annoying because she clearly can’t tell when people are in a relationship. Did she not see me latch onto you? What do I have to do, push you up against a pillar and shove my tongue down your throat?”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to- “

“As thrilling as that sounds, perhaps you should save such displays for a more private setting,” Moira said. “Such as your home.”

“Right,” Felicity said, doing her best not to melt into a puddle of shame.

“Come on Mar. Let’s leave these love birds alone.

The two sisters left them alone, giving them a small insulated bubble inside the sea of people. Oliver kissed the top of her head again and she sighed, happy to have things back to the way they should be.

***

Dinner was a lavish struggle. There were too many people jockeying for position at the table, playing up their importance to and within the family. The men fought to sit close to Travis and Marissa, clearly looking for a way to curry favor with the head of The Bishop Group. The woman tried to find a place close to Moira and Thea, a slightly less obvious tactic to gain Marissa’s attention. Felicity watched it all happen from her seat on Marissa’s right. Oliver sat to her left with Moira just past him. She currently held the most wanted seat in the entire room. A week ago, the looks she got from everyone there, including Susan Williams, would have made her melt into the floor. Now, she sat with her head held high and her hand on Oliver’s arm, claiming her place at the table and at his side. She belonged here now.

Karly and Elton occupied the head of the table, but they were all but forgotten after the food was served. Felicity watched them out of the corner of her eye. The two sat in almost silence, slightly perturbed at the lack of attention. Felicity wondered how a couple that seemed so combative could be willing to get married. When they weren’t fighting, they barely spoke to each other. How could they commit to each other if they couldn’t even talk?

Elton said something under his breath to Karly, beginning a whispered rant that picked up speed. Felicity watched in fascination as a slow smile spread across Karly’s face. She shook her head and, in a move that surprised Felicity, took Elton’s hand in hers. He seemed just as surprised, if his wide-eyed expression was any indication. A small grin grew on Elton until it turned into a beaming smile. Karly’s expression changed to match his and for the first time on the trip, Felicity through the bride and groom really looked like a bride and groom.

“Elton may not seem like much, but that boy loves her,” Marissa said quietly, drawing Felicity’s attention. “Karly loves him too, though I wish she’d show it more. Neither one is good at saying what they really mean. It has caused quite a few problems. Two years ago, Karly got a little too tipsy and decided to hit the town. She found an old flame at a bar and tried to go home with him. Turns out he and his friends wanted something different. Elton showed up in time to stop them from doing anything to her, but he ended up in the hospital. My boy is a lot of things, but a fighter isn’t one of them.” Marissa blinked a few times and took a deep breath, fighting though her memories. “Karly was almost hysterical. When they brought him out of surgery she demanded to see him. And Felicity darling, when I say she demanded, I mean she _demanded.”_

“Wow. That’s pretty hard to picture honestly,” Felicity whispered.

“When she got in the room, the first thing she did was climb onto the bed and wrap herself around Elton. She cried into his neck for a good twenty minutes. Poor girl had a grip on him so tight we almost had to use a pry bar to pull her off. When they finally calmed her down, she asked the doctor what the nurses’ duties would be and how she needed to perform them. He tried to tell her no but she growled at him, honest to God _growled_ at the man. For a whole week, she wouldn’t let anyone touch Elton except for the doctor and us,” she said, gesturing to Travis. Then she lowered her voice to a whisper and leaned in a littLe closer. “Now she doesn’t know I know this last part, so you don’t breathe a word to anyone. Got it?”

Felicity nodded quickly.

“The third night he was there they took him off the heavy pain meds so he was more lucid, but he was tired all the time. I went to visit the two of them and bring them dinner. I looked in the door and cracked it open to check if it was safe. Karly was wrapped around him again, like she was every night. I heard them talking about the future. She asked him to marry her.”

“No,” Felicity said, drawing the word out in surprise.

“Yes,” Marissa said. “She said quite a few things that are a bit to sappy and personal to repeat, but after all that she asked him to marry her. But my Elton was always the king of bad timing, so he was asleep for it. She just nuzzled him and held on tighter.” Marissa nodded her head toward her son and daughter in law. “When you see them with their walls down you know that no matter how much they fight with each other, they will always fight _for_ each other.”

Marissa gave her a knowing smile, and turned her attention to Travis. Felicity turned to Oliver and reached out to take his hand. He entwined their fingers without really looking, seeming to know what she wanted instinctively. She gently squeezed his hand and he turned to look at her, a massive smile on his face. She returned the look and knew, without a shred of doubt, that she and Karly were a lot alike. She and Oliver would have their problem, just like Karly and Elton. And, just like them, she and Oliver would always fight for each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter coming soon. 
> 
> As for the announcement, I am happy to say that there will be a sequel for this story. It has recently started to take shape and it may be a while, but it will come. I promise.


	12. Marry You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity have a bomb dropped on them, Olicity sleep rules are instituted, and the wedding finally happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! This is it! The final chapter of When Did I Become A Cliche! This story has been a huge success, and I owe it all to my betas and readers. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for your support and kind words throughout this journey. You have made this story into what it is.
> 
> As always, shout outs to my internet family, @nvwhovian and @the-silverforked-sky. 
> 
> P.S: Tooth rotting fluff ahead. May cause cavities.

 

Morning light filtered into the room and woke Oliver from a fantastic dream. He had been in the garage of his home, a two-story brick colonial, working on his bike. He had been tackled by small flying bundle of brown hair and wild energy. His daughter spoke a mile about what she learned in school, while her mother leaned against it with her feet crossed. The woman in question was shorter then him by quite a bit, with bottle blonde hair and glasses and a smile that shined like the sun.

Oliver tried to roll over, but a muffled response kept him in place. Felicity had her head on his chest, as usual, but this morning she had half her body flung across him as well, effectively pinning him to the bed. A small part of him imagined Felicity holding a WWE title belt, standing astride the top of a ladder in the middle of the ring. It made him smile for a moment before the harsh reality of what they were doing hit him like a train.

What the hell was wrong with him! He couldn’t be with Felicity. The whole reason he had gone to bed with Isabel was because he needed to get Felicity out of his head. Its why he pushed her away in the first place. He would ruin her like this. She was so bright and full of potential; he was only death and darkness. What if she was taken again, like she had been with the Count? What if she got hurt or worse?

_You are toxic. Everything you touch rots and dies. You don’t deserve to be happy. You don’t deserve anything but death._

“You’re thinking too loud,” said a sleep rumpled voice.

Oliver looked down to see Felicity move just enough to wrap herself around him even more. Her arms wound around his neck as she nuzzled his chest. She mumbled into his skin, pressing gentle kisses around his heart as she did.

“Stop thinking about the bad stuff. Bad stuff isn’t allowed during morning cuddles. Olicity sleep rule.”

“Oh, we have sleep rules now,” Oliver said teasingly, trying to dispel the dark thoughts in his head.

“Shush, my sleep, my rules. No bad stuff. Only cuddles. Or coffee.”

“I’ll remember that for later.”

“Good,” she said, though it was obscured by a large yawn, “now back to sleep.”

Oliver shook his head and kissed her forehead.

“Yes love.”

***

Oliver looked around the room one more time, taking a mental inventory of all their things. Felicity stood by the shower packing the last of his toiletries while he folded her garment bags to fit in the large suitcase. Neither had brought anything into the room aside from their luggage, so the cleanup was simple. There weren’t any porters to take care of their belongings this time, which seemed fitting. He and Felicity had come here as two people just sharing a room. They were leaving as two people in a relationship.

He enjoyed doing simple things like this, especially now that he had someone special to share this moment with. Packing with Felicity felt so domestic, so normal. It filled him with a warmth he could feel down to the tips of his toes. When he was younger he never cared how his clothes got to his room or what ended up in his suitcase. Seven years later, being in control of what he brought and how it was organized helped to calm him, let him feel in control of his world. Add to that the domesticity of the act, and Oliver believed that he was normal. In this one perfectly simple moment, he felt normal.

It was wonderful.

“Maybe I should buy this place,” he said to himself.

“What? Why would you do that?” Felicity asked. She walked around the divider between the bedroom and bathroom in nothing but his black t-shirt and her glasses. Her hair was slightly tangled from all the rolling around they did earlier in the morning. Oliver let his eyes travel down the length of her body, paying extra attention to just how long her legs looked.

Oliver’s phone began to ring, a chirping noise coming from the bed. Felicity walked over and grabbed it. In one of her less graceful moves, she tried to toss it to him, only to have it fly from her fingers towards the window. He snatched it out of the air with a smile. Oliver threw her a quick wink, which she responded to by sticking her tongue out at him. He chuckled as she turned away to finish her part of the packing.

“Hello?”

“You can’t even go to a wedding without causing a problem can you,” said a deep warm voice from the other end of the line.

“Digg, we haven’t even gotten to the venue yet.”

“Oh, is that John? Hi, John,” Felicity called from the other side of the room. Oliver put the call on speaker and pointed the phone, letting his new girlfriend know that John could hear her. The word made his heart flutter a little. Girlfriend. Felicity Smoak was his girlfriend. It still sounded surreal.

“Felicity? What are doing in Oliver’s room?”

“Oh, we’re sharing a room. There was this whole thing,” she said as she came to stand next to Oliver. “Anyway, how’re you? How are things at home?”

“Messy. And getting messier. You guys know a reporter named Susan Williams?”

“Yes,” Oliver said, putting his arm around Felicity and pulling her to his chest, “she is here for the wedding to cover my mother. I assume she was doing a follow-up piece on her being reformed or something.”

“Well, she reported that Queen Consolidated CEO Oliver Queen is currently dating his Executive Assistant, Felicity Meghan Smoak.”

“Ok,” Oliver said.

“Ok? That’s all you have to say?” Diggle said incredulously. “She posted a piece about you and Felicity being together and you’re OK with it? The media is going to eat her alive.”

“And we will handle it,” Oliver said, dropping a kiss to the top of Felicity’s head as she laid against his heart.

Diggle was quiet for a beat. Then a heavy sigh erupted from the speaker. Oliver could almost see Diggle shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose.

“You two are together, aren’t you,” he asked, though it sounded more like a statement.

“Yup,” Felicity said, ending the word with a pop.

“And you aren’t faking this as a publicity stunt, or to protect Felicity in any way?”

“No. I want to be with her,” Oliver said, “So I am.”

Diggle let out another sigh, though this one didn’t sound nearly as put upon.

“You just love making my job difficult, don’t you?”

“Digg, Oliver can take care of himself. He is used to the paparazzi,” Felicity said.

Oliver gripped her tighter at the word “paparazzi”. He was used to them, but he hated them all the same. They were reckless, obstructive, and intrusive. They never stopped until they got the soundbite or the picture they wanted and they would say just about anything to get it. The thought of them getting to Felicity, harassing her and pushing her until she snapped like he did…

A warm hand on his cheek brought him back to reality. Oliver looked down to see her smiling up at him. She rose on her toes and kissed him gently and whispered “I love you” in his ear. He smiled and nodded. There was time to brood later.

“I wasn’t talking about Oliver, Felicity. I was talking about you,” Diggle said, his voice popped their bubble. “You’ll need to have someone with you now.”

“John, I can take care of myself. I don’t need a bodygua-“

“We’ll talk about it when we get back,” Oliver said and gently rubbed circles against her back. “For right now, the important thing is making sure that people know that Susan’s report is true and to get out in front of it. I’ll make sure Thea gets some pictures that prove it, but have it be through our family. We can use it to our advantage. Have it be about us, and not about what Susan wrote.”

“How do we do that?” John asked.

“Marissa will help,” Felicity said.

“Who’s Marissa?”

“Oh, she’s Oliver’s aunt and the groom’s mother and one of the richest and most powerful women in America. It’s another thing. She likes me,” Felicity said.

“Um, ok. I guess I’ll let you handle that part then. Now, for our night jobs. Is this relationship going to affect us doing what we need to do?”

“No,” Felicity said. “Oliver and I being together will not cause a problem.”

“Good,” Diggle replied. He was silent for a beat before he spoke again, his voice softer this time. “For the record, I think this could be a bad thing. Letting your emotions get in the way could end up getting one of us hurt. But off the record, I’m happy for the both of you. You even look kind of cute in the picture.”

“Picture?”

“Yeah. You guys were the lead story on the Starling City News this morning. The entire city knows you two are an item.”

“Oh,” Oliver said.

“Frak,” Felicity said.

***

The wedding turned out to be one of the most lavish affairs that Oliver had ever attended.

Somehow, in the space of only eight hours, the grounds of the mansion had been transformed completely. Where snow sat the previous night, perfectly manicured grass that was just the right shade of the green took its place. The straight-backed Adirondack seats all looked like something out of a beach wedding, but the sheer number of chairs made up for their appearance and helped to camouflage strategically placed heaters. A flowered archway stood at the end of the long white path, where Elton waited for Karly. Even the weather decided to cooperate; bright sunshine, not a cloud in the sky and near sixty degree temperatures for the ceremony.

Oliver could only shake his head at the transformation. Knowing Elton, he had made the change last minute. Karly had probably agreed to a more conservative plan, so this must have been his idea. Elton had flaws, but there was nothing he wouldn’t do to make Karly smile, no matter how much it might hurt him.

“What are you smiling about,” Felicity asked him quietly.

He turned to his right to look at the woman he loved, dressed in backless emerald green dress with a high neckline and jeweled beading. Seeing her in this dress, wearing _his color_ did things to him he wasn’t ready for. She knew it too; the quick, playful smile she had given him when she and Thea walked down to the foyer gave it away.

They sat in the second row on the groom’s side. Oliver approximated two hundred and fifty people were already seated. Another fifty or sixty stood in groups talking, trying to figure out the best way to ensure the bride and groom said good things about them. They were all just fakes, here to try and get a piece of the Bishop’s business. The only genuine people he could see were sitting in the first two rows. And one of them stood at the front of the gathering, nervously playing with his tie.

Oliver wondered just how long Elton had been planning this. It must have been months. It was impressive really, the amount of subterfuge he’d have needed to do all this quietly. Marissa face showed  that she was a little confused, but Travis’s expression showed that he knew exactly what his son was thinking. Oliver did too. Words aren’t always enough. Sometimes, people needed to show the ones they loved just how much they mattered. Just another love lesson courtesy of the Bishops.

“Just thinking about how this all came together,” he said, taking her hand in his and linking their fingers. He gently squeezed and she did the same.

“I’m surprised that they wanted an outdoor wedding. It’s February. Karly must have really fought for this.”

“Karly doesn’t know about this. This is all Elton.”

“Huh?”

Oliver shifted slightly in his seat so he was closer to Felicity. She leaned against him and slowly ran her thumb back and forth along his own.

“When we were at Princeton, Karly used to tell people she wanted to marry a rich guy on a beach on Valentine’s Day so she could hit all of the clichés at once. She thought that if you got them all out of the way at once, you could have a better shot at doing something knew or being something better.”

“That’s a little weird,” Felicity said, pursing her lips as she tried to analyze the statement.

“Yes,” he said, leaning down to give her a quick kiss. “Anyway, she’s gotten much more reasonable since then, which means she would never have agreed to this. Elton must have been planning this for months.”

“But why would he do this? She agreed to something else, right? That sounds incredibly rude.”

Oliver just shook his head and smiled.

“Karly would never tell anyone that she wanted a beach wedding on Valentine’s Day. Most people would just laugh at her. But Elton’s not wired that way. His priority is Karly. It was that way in college and it’s that way now. What better way for him to show the woman he love that he will always put her first than by giving her the dream wedding?”

Felicity seemed to think over for a moment before moving to rest her head against his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head, careful not to linger too long and let his stubble ruin her up do.

“It’s cute,” she said, “but that is a little unhealthy don’t you think? To just make the relationship about pleasing the other person?”

“Yes, but Karly is just as dedicated as he is. Considering she asked him to marry her first, I would say she has it just as bad as Elton does.”

“How did you know that?”

“Aunt Marissa wasn’t exactly trying to be discreet last night.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. She was talking to both of us.”

Felicity looked up at him, a small wrinkle across her brow. Oliver couldn’t help kissing it. She seemed to relax a little, moving her head back to his shoulder.

“She was telling us to always fight for each other. Just like her and Travis and Elton and Karly,” Felicity said, following the same trail of breadcrumbs that Oliver had found.

“Yup.”

“Which means she wants us to be together, stay together, and stay in touch with her and her family.”

“Yup.”

“She is planning something, isn’t she?”

“Probably.”

“First your mom, then Thea, now your aunt. Your family is manipulative. And terrifying.”

“True,” Oliver said before pressing a kiss to her forehead and whispering against her skin, “but we can beat anyone if we work together.”

***

Oliver stood by the bar in the main living area, which housed the reception. The interior of the house had been dressed in hanging twinkle lights, while the main lights had been slightly dimmed, giving the impression of hundreds of twinkling stars floating in the air. It was very impressive. Oliver found this type of thing to be incredibly overdone, but he had to admit that it worked quite well. Combined with the high ceilings and open floor, the space looked like it was outside under the stars. Elton really had planned for everything.

The first dance had started before he could make it back to his table, and he didn’t want to interrupt, so he stayed by the bar and watched. Elton and Karly danced to “Marry You,” though it wasn’t really dancing. The new Mr. and Mrs. Bishop swayed and hopped, pantomiming to the song. They laughed and sang without a care in the world. Elton took her hand and spun her in place, pulling her in and dipping her. She threw her head back and laughed before grabbing his face and kissing him senseless. The guests whistled and clapped, despite their more conservative tendencies.

“They look happy,” said a voice to Oliver’s left.

Roy and Travis stood next to him watching the dance. Roy seemed slightly uncomfortable, while Travis wore a look of joy.

“That they do, son,” Travis said, clapping Roy on the shoulder. “Y’all’ll get there soon enough.”

“Um- “

“Standing right here, Roy. Be very careful,” Oliver said, though there wasn’t much force behind his threat.

“Leave the boy alone Oliver. He’ll end up like Elton soon enough. He’s just a little green. Give it five years.”

“I will never end up like that.”

“You will, son. Strong women have a funny way ‘bout ‘em that turns ya’ ta’ mush.”

“I won’t be mush. Besides, Oliver and Felicity were like that way before this week.”

“We were not,” Oliver said in protest.

“I have eyes, dude. I knew. Digg knew. Pretty sure your entire company knew.”

“Easy there, Roy,” Travis said, “don’ be too hard on him now. He got there in the end. S’all that matters.”

“I guess,” Roy said with a shrug.

“Yeah. Feliver won in the end,” Travis said, clapping Roy on the shoulder.

“Olicity.”

“Otilicy.”

“Olicity.”

“Tomato, tomoto. I need a drink.”

Oliver walked away once Travis had turned his back, eager to get back to Felicity. Roy’s comment about the company rang in his head. Was it possible that people at Queen Consolidated saw his feelings for Felicity? Could they see that it went deeper than just physical? Would he be able to use that to their advantage against the Susan Williams story?

“Oliver!”

_Speak of the devil and he or she shall appear._

“Hello, Ms. Williams,” Oliver said.

Susan Williams stood at his shoulder, close enough to not be ignored, but just far enough way to not make it awkward. She was still uncomfortably close.

“I want to apologize for my behavior last night. I didn’t realize that you were with your secreta-“

“It’s Executive Assistant. Ms. Williams, is there something you wanted to discuss? If not, please move aside,” Oliver said in his CEO voice.

Susan looked him over, seeking an opening while checking him out. Oliver was sure that she would not find any. Besides, she could look all she wanted. He already belonged to someone.

“I didn’t realize that you were in a committed relationship with Felicity Smoak,” she said kindly, though her eyes still searched his face, waiting for a response. “Was this relationship a recent development, or have and Ms. Smoak been an item before?”

“For the record, Susan, Felicity and I are in a committed relationship, just as you reported last night without corroborating your information. Not the best standard for journalistic practices. Either way, the fact is we are in a relationship. We ask that people be considerate of our privacy. We are both working professionals who want to ensure the other employees of Queen Consolidated that this will in no way negatively affect them or the company.” Oliver looked Susan in the eye as he continued, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “Off the record, my relationship with Felicity Smoak is none of your business. And if you ever go to print or air with something like this without confirming it and it turns out to be false, I will bury you under so many slander and libel suits it will make your head spin. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Oliver left a shocked Susan Williams standing behind him as he made his way back to his table. Felicity sat next to Thea, Moira and Tommy. One of the groomsmen had taken an interest in Felicity in the few minutes he was gone. Oliver saw him make a move to touch her back and felt himself start to reach for an arrow. Taking a calming breath, Oliver made sure to approach the table so its occupants would see him. Felicity was the first to notice and she gave him a smile that lit up the room.

“mой красивый свет,” he said as he came to the table. The sudden switch to Russian surprised everyone, except for Felicity. She just shook her head and raised her eyebrow at him. She knew exactly what he was doing. So, he was a little territorial when it came to her. Sue him.

“Yes, my love?” she asked.

“May I have this dance?”

“Of course, Oliver. I was waiting for you to ask.”

As Felicity stood, the groomsman took the opportunity to walk away without looking at Oliver. Oliver simply put his hand on Felicity’s lower back and lead her to the dance floor. They slowly swayed in place along with the other couples, oblivious to the stares they received or the rush of whispers around them. The music drifted over them, Michael Buble’s “Hold On”. Oliver chuckled and Felicity lightly slapped his chest.

“I like this song. Don’t laugh.”

“It’s just such a cliché,” Oliver said.

“Yeah, but it’s still cute. So, hush.”

“Yes love.”

“Good. Now, I am invoking my girlfriend privileges to use your chest as a pillow.”

Felicity laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Oliver kept his hands on her waist, but pulled her just a little bit closer. He let the music wash over him, felt it mix with the peace of having Felicity in his arms. His thoughts drifted back to the brick colonial and the excited young girl who looked like her mother. It was no longer a question of if, but when. Oliver knew now that he had a reason to keep moving forward, to keep being better. And one day, he would be worthy enough to have that life, to really reach for that dream. For now, he was content to stay here in the arms of the woman he loved. Oliver smiled and kissed her forehead.

Felicity Smoak had changed him; she challenged him, fought with him, made him a better hero and a better man. He had fallen head over heels in love with his opposite in almost every way, yet he wouldn’t trade it for the world. He smiled and let out a sigh.

_When did I become a cliché?_

 

  
**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for sharing this journey with me. It has been a fantastic ride!  
> There will be a sequel, but I currently have two other large stories going, so it will take some time. But fear not, the Fluffy!Verse shall continue on!

**Author's Note:**

> So what did you think?! Comments are always welcomed and appreciated!
> 
> Also, feel free to come say hello on Tumblr. 
> 
> http://abadspellr.tumblr.com/


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